


Cherry

by Alien_Writes



Category: Naruto
Genre: BDSM, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Dom/sub, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Forced Masturbation, Group Sex, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Older Man/Younger Woman, Orgasm Control, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Praise Kink, Public Masturbation, Rope Bondage, Semi-Public Sex, Sex Toys Under Clothing, Sexual Experimentation, Smut, Spanking, Submissive Sakura, Tag As I Go, dominant Kakashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2021-03-27
Packaged: 2021-04-25 14:14:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 100,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22309717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alien_Writes/pseuds/Alien_Writes
Summary: Sakura has had her entire life planned out since she was twelve and now that she's dating Sasuke, things should be great. But her second year of college has thrown her a major curveball. She’s confused and lost on her path of life and decides to take a creative writing course for easy credit and when her imagination catches the eye of the teaching assistant, Kakashi, he invites her to join a world full of dark desire and pleasures that she never imagined.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 504
Kudos: 816





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go again! This idea has been buzzing around the back of my head for over a year and lately, I was able to actually get it out! I rather like it so far, which is why I'm posting it for everyone. Three of my other fics (WTNC, Private Practice, and Unholy) are starting to wind down so I figured I'd get a head start on my next round of fics and deliver this all to you. Hope you like it! A huge shout-out to EmpressNariko who has pushed and motivated me to get this fic officially started!
> 
> The title of this fic is inspired by a song of the same title by Lana Del Rey...if you want to get a feel for the mood of this fic, be sure to give it a listen!

* * *

.

* * *

The sound of the classroom door shutting behind the professor made Sakura jump slightly and she lifted her head from the notebook laid open on the desk in front of her. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the white-haired man at the front of the room. His face wasn’t old, not even slightly, but his entire head of hair was as white as the pure driven snow. She followed it down the length of his back where he had pulled it into a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck.

He picked up a marker from the desk and popped the cap off with a pop that echoed through the quiet of the room before writing across the board. His letters were large and all caps and Sakura hurried to grab her pen to jot down what he was writing. ‘INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING’

“It’s always so quiet the first day,” he paused and turned to glance over his shoulder to the small class, a lopsided grin tilting his lips. “Don’t be afraid to talk now. It’s going to be hard to get through the semester if you stay quiet as church mice.”

A round of soft, nervous laughter flittered through the class but Sakura remained quiet. She scribbled the words he wrote in her notebook and hoped by picking a seat in the back, she could fly under his radar for the semester. It wasn’t like this was a class she needed or truly cared about. She had picked it at random, needing an extra 3 hours to make a full schedule. If her rapid flip through the course list ended with her taking a class that pushed her out of her comfort zone, she might as well drop it right now. All she was looking for was an easy A.

“Welcome to Creative Writing.” The professor slid a stool out from under his desk and took a seat, propping the soles of his sandals on the rungs beneath him. “I know this class is to fill a slot for the majority of the people who come through, so I like to make it interesting if I can. My name’s Jiraiya. Office hours are posted outside my door which is right there.”

Sakura followed where he pointed toward the hallway and sank a little lower in her seat when he swept his gaze over her. It didn’t linger on hers for long, moving on to get a proper gauge of the rest of the class but she still had to force herself to relax.

“Who all here is taking this class because you want a career out of writing?”

Only a few lifted their hands and Jiraiya chuckled with a nod. “Figured as much. Well, I should hope that most of you want to get something out of this class. I hope you’ll find ways to improve your writing, or even open yourself up to new literary interests. For the rest of you, well—” He scratched his eyebrow with another lopsided grin. “I hope you have fun and want to work for your grade.”

He lifted off the stool and slid a stack of papers from the corner of his desk, holding them in the air so the class could see them. “Here’s your assignment list. Everything you’re going to turn in for a grade is on this sheet. You can rush through them and hand them in the next two weeks if you want but I can’t guarantee you’ll pass doing it that way. Now—” He clapped his hands right when the assignment list was passed back and hit Sakura’s desk. She hid her sigh, pulling the paper toward her to read the dates. “Your first assignment is one of my favorites, which is why I like to start the semester off with it.”

Her eyes lifted back to the top and narrowed on the due date. They were supposed to turn in their first assignment next week? That didn’t give them enough time to even learn anything! Yeah, it was official. She was going to drop this class and try to register late for a different one; something easier.

“I know what you’re thinking. It’s a bit too early to be assigned something worth ten percent of your grade, but I have good reasons. Don’t worry about your techniques or prose. I just want to get a feel for your written voice and I want you to write a two-page short story.” His words faded from her head as she thought to herself.

If she got to the registrar early, maybe they could help her find a class to earn an easy A. Asking her advisor was out of the question. She was the one that assured Sakura this class could be good for her, not just academically but as a person as well. Whatever that meant.

After a collective sigh from the class, Jiraiya found his seat on the stool once more and chuckled. “It’s not as bad as you’re all thinking it is. I just want you to write something out of your comfort zone. If you like rainbows and butterflies, maybe find something a bit darker to write about and vice versa.” 

The sound of a soft knock at the door turned everyone’s attention away from the professor. “Ah, what a nice surprise!”

Jiraiya stood from the chair and opened the door, standing back to let a younger, handsome man inside. His hair was just as strangely colored, but his face made Sakura’s eyebrow slowly arch. He was handsome…extremely so and she, as well as most of the class, watched him as he strolled lazily to the opposite side of the room. He leaned against the windowsill and crossed his legs at the ankle as Jiraiya shut the door and returned to the center of the room.

“Most of my classes never get a real glimpse of my elusive assistant, so consider yourselves lucky. This is Kakashi Hatake and he’ll be reading the majority of your assignments this semester.”

The younger man gave a quick nod of his head in a simple, apathetic gesture before pulling the phone out of his pocket. Sakura pursed her lips and ducked her head, staring at the three words she had written at the top of her notebook page to keep her attention away from him. While Jiraiya continued on, giving ideas for what to possibly write about, she doodled in the top corner of her assignment list.

A few people raised their hands to ask questions and Sakura knew she should have been paying attention. Even if she was going to drop this class, it was rude not to give the professor her focus. It wasn’t like he was a bad teacher. He seemed pretty excited for the semester and their assignments and probably loved his job.

She just wasn’t a creative person. Her mind was structured and focused, methodical, and precise. She had a doctor’s mind, though she didn’t even know if that’s what she wanted for herself anymore. It had been her goal since she was 12 and now that she was where she needed to be to make that dream a reality, she was at a loss.

Which is why she had so much trouble deciding what to take this semester. Last year, she had been on a path written in stone, taking her swiftly to the top of her graduating class to secure her a residency at the most exclusive hospitals. It was what she had planned for her entire teenage life and in less than a year, she had burnt out completely and was left feeling empty and lost.

Jiraiya clapped his hands and Sakura jumped once more, blinking herself out of her thoughts. Around her, people were packing up and she quickly closed her notebook. “Don’t forget, I expect those assignments on my desk by Wednesday.”

Sakura stood and draped her purse strap over her shoulder before scooping her notebook and textbook into her arms. She let the others file out of the class ahead of her and as she made her way down the aisle, her eyes moved to where the teaching assistant still leaned against the window sill.

He swiped his thumb up the phone screen but paused, raising his stare to her. Their eyes met and Sakura quickly looked away before her face could burn under his scrutiny. How had he caught her so quickly? She had barely gotten a chance to take a proper look at him, though it didn’t take long to see how good looking he was.

Risking a second glance back to confirm her previous thought, she found his gaze still on her and she quickened her pace toward the door. Even as she slipped out into the hallway, leaving the classroom behind her, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. With a sigh, she situated her books higher on her hip and followed the crowd making their way out of the English department.

She checked the time on her phone and cursed to herself. She didn’t have time to make a pit stop by the registrar’s office before her next class. But at least in Sociology, she’d be with Ino.

.

.

It was nearly three by the time she had made it across the campus to where the newly built Administration office stood. The brick exterior, all pristine and looking every bit expensive that it was, was such a stark contrast against the decades-old art department that stood beside it. Sakura hurried up the front steps and ducked inside the lobby, thankful for the air conditioning that blasted from the vents above her.

She checked the letter board displaying the office names on each floor and reaffirmed that the registrar’s office was on the third floor. There was a set of elevators to the left and stairs to the right and she went the easier route. After all, that’s what this semester was going to be; smooth sailing and little to no conflicts so she could have the next few months to figure things out.

Once inside the elevator, Sakura adjusted the books in her arms and wished she had stopped at her dorm long enough to drop them off. But with the way she had been feeling lately, she was sure that once home, she would take one look at her bed and have no choice but to curl up beneath her blankets with some Netflix and popcorn.

And if she wanted to escape from the overzealous creative writing teacher before the due date of her first assignment, she couldn’t afford to be lazy. It was a shame she wouldn’t be seeing that teaching assistant ever again, though. If he was the one teaching the class, she might give sticking around a second thought.

Even if he had seemed a bit intense from the two brief glances they had shared with one another.

The soft chime above her head made her blink herself from her thoughts and Sakura waited for the doors to part before stepping out onto the third-floor hallway. Financial Aid was to the left with the Registrar and Cashier to the right. She followed the arrow to the right and stopped outside the door. There was a typed note stuck to it saying the secretary had to step out and would be back in a few minutes.

Sakura sighed and noticed a narrow, metal paper holder attached to the wall. There were numerous forms, from applications for scholarships to exactly what Sakura was looking for: the withdrawal form. She smiled and bent down to pluck it just as the door to the cashier’s office opened up behind her. As she stood, she felt someone’s presence and sidestepped so she could turn and give them a friendly smile.

Which quickly fell from her face at the sight of silver hair atop a pale face with dark eyes…that were currently staring down at the form she had tucked on top of her notebook held against her chest. Sakura blinked and followed his gaze down to the black letters written across the top of the page.

“Hope that’s not for Creative Writing,” he said, eyes lifting to meet hers. God, even his voice was handsome. It caught her off guard and she could only stare up at him while her brain desperately tried to force words into her mouth.

“Oh, um. Actually, it is. I-I just don’t think it’s the right class for me.”

Instead of turning away and walking off like she expected him to do, his mouth stretched into a sly smile and he crossed his arms over his chest. His forearms, which Sakura couldn’t help glancing down to, were bare beneath the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt and she could see just a few curling, black lines of a tattoo near the bend of his left elbow.

“What are you majoring in?”

Ah, the one question she hated to think about. Pursing her lips, she shrugged a shoulder and turned to look down the hallway, afraid that if she stared at him more, he’d notice. Maybe he already had. “Currently, I’m not sure. I was a Biology major last year.”

“Creative Writing is an awfully long way from Biology.”

She risked a peek back up at him and felt herself smile. “Yeah, I think that was the appeal in the beginning, but I’m just not sure I’m creative enough for it.”

It felt so strange to have him speaking to her, to have him interested in what she was saying. The guy looked like he could walk up to any straight woman on campus and make their panties wet with just a few words. What the hell was he talking to Sakura for? The question brought a touch of pink to her cheeks and she hoped he didn’t see it.

Although, why the hell should she care? She was seeing someone. Sasuke, to be exact, and she was happily dating him. Still, she couldn’t help wishing she had stopped by her dorm to run a brush through her hair.

The man—she could only remember his last name was Hatake—shrugged a shoulder and gave her a look exactly what she would expect to make the straight women feel their panties unravel. It was working on her currently.

“Everyone’s creative. Some people just hold themselves back.” He took a step back and nodded toward the withdrawal form, finally dropping his hands to his side. It was too fast for her to catch a good glimpse of that tattoo. “It’s a shame. I was looking forward to seeing what you could come up with.”

He turned away from her and headed toward the elevators that chimed with the arrival of someone inside. An older woman stepped out and blinked up at him in surprise, ducking around his side with a quick 'excuse me'. Sakura took her eyes away from him for just a split second, enough time for her to catch the look of surprise on the woman’s face and the slight blush on her cheeks, confirming what she had previously thought.

When she lifted her gaze back to him, she clamped her teeth around her bottom lip and braced herself. He glanced back in the seconds before stepping into the elevator and the corner of his lips lifted in a smirk that both irritated Sakura and left her breathless. He was apparently aware of the effect he had on women and more specifically, the effect he had on her.

How the hell had he made her feel so…aroused in less than five minutes?

The woman stepped up to the note taped on the door and tugged it down, pulling Sakura’s attention away from the space he had just occupied near the elevators. She smiled and pointed to the registrar’s office. “Do you need in, dear?”

Sakura blinked and looked from the woman’s kind face down to the sheet still sitting on top of her notebook. There were two logical choices here. She could do exactly what she was planning to do; drop the class and find something that she could coast through easily, which would prove to the smug teaching assistant that just because he was handsome, he couldn’t sway her decision. Or, she could stick it out and prove to herself that she wasn’t afraid of something just because it took her out of her comfort zone.

And even though the latter decision came with the perks of some eye candy, she chose to ignore that little fact.

Her fist closed around the withdrawal form and she forced a friendly smile to the woman. “Actually, I changed my mind.”

* * *


	2. Curiosity and Fear

* * *

.

.

* * *

'_A woman stood in a field and stared up at the darkening storm clouds. She knew it was going to rain soon but she made no move to go back inside her house. Something was on the horizon. It was coming for her and she _\--'

Sakura let her head fall against the keyboard of her laptop, not caring a bit that she was filling the document with a series of random letters. It was only the first assignment and she could barely write four sentences coherently. If this was a peek into what the rest of the semester would be like in this class, then she would seriously be kicking herself for the next four months!

Why hadn't she listened to her sensible side and dropped the class when she had the chance? Sure, the withdrawal due date wasn't for another month, but she had already missed the deadline to sneak in late to another class. If she wanted to keep her scholarship, then she had to take a full schedule each semester. And now she was stuck, all because she had to stay in a class with the handsome teaching assistant.

From behind her, Ino swiped a page of the magazine she was reading through and the sound made Sakura lift her head. She corrected the long string of R's and swiveled her chair around to watch her best friend rub her wrist across a perfume sample. "I need help," Sakura whined.

"We all knew that, Forehead." Ino didn't even look up from the magazine. She brought her wrist to her nose and inhaled the scent before taking the page and rubbing it across her chest as well. "Is it that assignment still?"

"Yes." Sakura sighed and sank lower in the chair, ignoring her t-shirt rolling up to her ribcage. "How am I supposed to write something out of my comfort zone? That's like saying, write about something you know nothing about."

"You could always write about the horror of leather coming back into style this season." The blonde turned the page around so Sakura could see the picture she was staring at. Three models were all posed in strange positions, one draped across a table while the other two stood on either side and they were all decked out in leather pants and jackets. No shirts could be found and Sakura glared up at Ino from over the top of the page.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I! Leather is hideous." Grinning, Ino tossed the magazine to the pillows and slid to the edge of the bed, dangling her feet over the side. She smelled like a strange mix of lilac and peach and it wasn't a good combination. Each inhale had Sakura wrinkling her nose. If Ino noticed, she didn't mention it and took a deep breath instead. "Just start where you know and work backward. What's in your comfort zone?"

Sakura blinked up at her and lifted her hands in a half-assed shrug. "Who even knows anymore? My bed, friends, being sure of my future? How am I supposed to write about the opposite of that?"

"What do you have so far?"

Without sitting up in the chair, she swiveled back to her desk and read aloud what she had typed up moments ago. Hearing the words out loud made her cringe and she let her finger hover over the delete button. She didn't erase it quite yet, not until she heard Ino's input and with a glance back to the blonde, she found her tapping her chin in thought.

"It sounds like you're kind of on the right track. I mean, it sounds like she's anxious and anticipating something big, or something possibly scary." Ino shrugged and leaned back on the bed. "Just keep going in this direction."

"I need two pages. I've gotten four sentences and I have no idea where this is even going."

"What about a horror story?" Ino suggested, pulling the magazine back toward her. She lifted the front cover and flipped through the pages until she found the one she left off with. "I know you hate horror movies so that would definitely be out of your comfort zone."

"That's true."

"Or a romantic comedy. You're not too big into them, either." Sakura opened her mouth to respond but never had the chance. "Or an action-packed story, or dramas. Actually, the only things you do seem to like are those medical documentaries or historical pieces."

There was humor to her tone that Sakura didn't find very funny. She rolled her eyes and turned away from her but didn't immediately pull the chair back up to the desk. She stared at the blinking cursor that she had abandoned mid-sentence and chewed her bottom lip in thought. The horror idea did seem like the kind of direction she was already going in. But, she had never read a horror novel. How would she even go about writing two pages of it?

If she wasn't even comfortable with writing fiction, she was never going to pass this class. Then again, it was an introduction class. Surely she wouldn't be the worst writer to pass through the doors. Her frown deepened. What if she _was_ the worst writer? The thought of that teaching assistant reading her work, finding it horrible, and regretting his decision to keep her in the class popped into her head. How embarrassing it would be, having someone so hot grading her papers, thinking she was a moron!

From the bed, Ino stood to her feet and stretched, letting out a small yawn. "I should get going. I stupidly signed up for a night class and it starts in ten minutes." As she slipped her feet back into her shoes and tossed her hair over her shoulder, she glanced at Sakura from over her shoulder. "Hey, you could always write about a fed-up college student murdering her professor for assigning something ridiculous."

Sakura scoffed and finally sat up straight. She tugged her shirt back down around her waist and nodded. "That's actually tempting. I just might."

With a laugh, Ino turned to the door and walked out with a quick promise to text her later and check on her progress. Once the door shut behind her, Sakura let out a breath and turned back to the open laptop. The cursor was still blinking, still waiting for her imagination to run wild. It sat in her mind like a lump of stone. Boring, unmoving, the complete opposite of wild.

Sakura scowled but slid closer to her desk and placed her fingers over the keys. She didn't know where she was going with the story, but she was going to get there tonight, even if it drove her crazy in the process. The last thing she wanted was to spend the weekend worrying about whether or not she was far enough out of her comfort zone.

So she typed.

It didn't take long before the story evolved into something at least a little coherent and the more she wrote, the easier it felt to get the words out. It may not have made much sense, but she was getting something out of the jumbled mess inside her head.

The woman, who she kept nameless, was facing a great unknown in the shape of an oncoming storm. It was violent and terrifying on the outside. Sakura felt as though she spent far too much time describing the lightning and the thunder of the storm, but surely readers liked to have lots of descriptions.

The longer the woman stayed in the field, watching the storm approach, waiting for it to ravage her, the more uncomfortable Sakura felt with it all. She squirmed in her seat and several times, she let her finger hover of the delete button. Even though what she wrote was making her cringe every few sentences, she didn't erase it all.

Eventually, the storm swept over the woman and she was pelted with rain and debris kicked up from the tremendous gusts of wind. She thought it was going to be the end of her until the eye of the storm passed over and the sun burst out from behind the clouds. It was nearing two pages and Sakura was thankful.

She glanced at the time at the bottom of her computer screen. It was nearly nine! She'd been writing for the past two and a half hours! Her eyes widened and she paused to crack her knuckles before scooting her chair closer to the desk. It was time to finish this assignment. She was so close!

With the warmth of the sun, the woman collapsed on the ground and let the rays heat her rain-soaked skin. She closed her eyes and basked in the beauty and warmth and let out a small laugh for being so afraid of something so wonderful. And with a final sentence that explained that the woman had nothing to fear in the first place, Sakura sat back and stared at the document.

Did that last bit sound kind of sexual?

She frowned and leaned forward again, reading over the last paragraph. At first glance, it didn't seem sexual but it definitely did after giving it a second look. Was it too much? Would it be obvious to the professor? Oh god, what if he read it and thought she was some craved, horny sophomore? Sakura shook her head and reached for the delete button again.

Her finger hovered and refused to press down. She lifted her eyes back to the words, glancing over them quickly before pursing her lips tight. Maybe they only seemed sexual because that's the mindset she was in while writing it. And really, she hasn't been in any other mindset lately.

But that wasn't necessarily her fault.

Sakura sat back in her chair and turned her cellphone over to check her messages. She usually always put her ringer on silent while doing her assignments and the sight of three new texts made her eyebrows lift.

One was from Sasuke and the other two were from Ino. She ignored the latter and swiped open the messages from her boyfriend...Well, technically he wasn't her boyfriend. They hadn't made anything official even after two whole months of dating, much to Sakura's frustration. If that wasn't bad enough, they hadn't even gone past handjobs and fingering. And that was the cause of another kind of frustration for her.

**Sasuke:** U up?

While she had the message open, a new one form Ino popped up and with a sigh, she switched to her best friend's messages to see what was so urgent.

**Ino:** Omg, this class is gonna SUCK! Think I'm gonna drop it  
**Ino:** Are you finished with that paper yet?  
**Ino: **Nvm, this class is in a great location right next to the gym! Hot guys working out late! Woo!

Sakura rolled her eyes and quickly typed a response informing the girl that a class's worth shouldn't be determined on its proximity to hot guys. As soon as she sent it, the irony of her words struck her and the very handsome teaching assistant popped into her head. The way he had stood in front of the elevators, glancing back to her with that look that made her feel things she wasn't sure she could define.

The phone in her hand vibrated, jerking her out of her thoughts about a particular teaching assistant and she blinked down to see Sasuke's name light up her screen again.

**Sasuke:** I guess ur in bed Ill text you in the morning

Sakura sighed and knew she could probably text him back and get a few minutes of conversation out of him, but what was the point? Her mind was already shot after cranking out two pages of fiction that definitely put her out of her comfort zone and she really didn't feel like trying to have a conversation with him.

Sexting had grown stale anyway. She was over it and ready to move onto something more.

So she set her phone back down and reached for her laptop. The printer whirred to life and spit out two pages of her assignment. She left them on the tray and turned to her bed to fall back onto it. Her hand reached for the lamp beside her and she clicked it off. Going to bed wasn't exactly what she planned to do, especially after the strange assignment she'd been forced to do.

Whether she wanted it to sound sexual or not was irrelevant. It may not be to anyone else reading it, but it was to her and after the past month of dealing with nothing but the frustration that's come with being with Sasuke, she had to relieve it somehow. It had become her nightly ritual since coming back to the university from summer break.

But for the first night since she and Sasuke started dating, she didn't think of him. She didn't want to think of anyone except a nameless, faceless body pressing down into her. All she wanted was for the stress of her self-doubt, frustrations with Sasuke, and tension to fade away.

.

.

The following week, the rain was starting to roll in over Konoha University. The clouds sat heavy and grey in the distance and as Sakura walked beside Sasuke to her Wednesday morning Creative Writing class, she was only _kind of_ paying attention to whatever he was saying. Seeing the storm clouds looming over their heads reminded her of the assignment she had handed into her professor on Monday. The same assignment she would be getting back today with a grade on it.

In just a few minutes, she would officially find out if she was an actual moron. Hell, after today that teaching assistant might ask her to drop the class after all.

"And of course, Naruto said he was the one who told _ me _ about the movie." Sasuke's voice finally returned to her thoughts and she looked up at him with a sweet smile as he turned to check if her attention was on him. "So now we've been roped into a double date with them this weekend."

"Oh, what movie are we going to see?"

"Impossible To Kill," Sasuke said with a frown pinching his eyebrows together. "I just told you about it."

Shit.

She hadn't been paying a bit of attention to him and now he was very well aware of that. She let out a laugh and shrugged her shoulder. "Oh, _ that _movie. I thought you meant he had told you about a different one. My mistake."

The pathway up to the Literature department was starting to grow crowded and Sakura stepped behind him to let a few others pass. Once she was able to return to Sasuke's side, he turned to face her and lifted the corner of his mouth in that typical smile he always gave her. A small flutter of butterflies hit the inside of her stomach and he nodded back toward the commons building.

"I gotta meet Naruto and give him the notes he missed yesterday."

"Is he skipping class again?" Sakura rolled her eyes and adjusted the books in her arms. "He nearly failed chemistry last semester because of that."

"I told him that but you know how hard it is to get through that thick skull of his."

For a moment, the two of them stood on the sidewalk in silence that sat a little awkward and heavy between them. It wasn't as though either of them was angry with each other, but it still felt strange saying goodbye when she had no idea what they were to one another. Did she kiss him? Did she tell him she would miss him? Would he think she was being stupid?

Thankfully, before her head could explode from all the questions, Sasuke reached out and rubbed a hand down the back of her arm. Goosebumps followed the trail of his fingers and she ducked her head with a smile stretching her lips. "I'll text you after class."

"Okay," she said quietly, turning to watch him jog across the lawn away from the building stretching upward behind her. Feeling a bit weird standing there watching him, Sakura cleared her throat and checked to see if anyone was looking at her strangely. She hurried up the few steps into the building and took the stairs up two floors to the stretch of classrooms.

On one end of the hall, she could hear a war movie being played rather loudly and she thought back to the title of the movie she would be seeing this weekend on her double date. _ Impossible To Kill _sounded exactly like the type of movie she would hate, exactly like Ino had pointed out.

If Naruto was wanting to watch it, she was almost sure it promised to be packed with shoot-outs, explosions, and car chases. But a double date did sound fun. And what she _really _looked forward to was going back to Sasuke's dorm room after the movie to relieve frustration with _his _hands instead of her own.

Or hopefully, something other than his hands.

Sakura's face was a little flushed as she walked into the Creative Writing classroom. Though her thoughts were hundreds of miles away, she couldn't help glancing at the spot where she had first seen Jiraiya's assistant leaning against the windowsill. She held her books tighter to her chest and forced her eyes back to the aisle between the desks. She found her usual seat and lowered herself into it as other students made their way into the room.

A few of them broke off and talked quietly about the assignment and what grades they were expecting. Sakura kept her gaze down on the notebook in front of her, hoping to avoid anyone talking to her and asking her about what grade she thought she would receive. Judging by their hushed conversations, she wasn't the only person worried about what they wrote.

It seemed that the majority of people were at a loss with their short stories. That made her feel better about her own assignment.

The hands of the clock ticked along and right at 2 o'clock, the door to Jiraiya's office opened and the class fell silent. He strolled into the room with a stack of papers beneath his arm and a passive look on his face. He dropped the papers onto his desk and took a seat on the stool, reaching out to slide the lectern toward him.

"Well, I've got your assignments graded and I gotta be honest," he said in that booming, confident voice. Sakura jumped at the sound as if she had forgotten the volume in which he spoke since Monday. It didn't help that his words were cryptic and sent a ball of knots tangling inside her stomach. "I didn't read them. My assistant, however, _ did _ and he was quite pleased by what you all wrote."

Sakura stared at him in disbelief. Despite the impish grin on his face and the quiet, yet nervous laughter circling around the room, she didn't find his antics very funny. But what really bugged her was the fact that he dumped their assignments off on his teaching assistant! Hadn't he said on the first day that the first assignment was his favorite to read? Why would he not even read them?

And knowing that his teaching assistant was the one who read her words and judged her abilities when she wasn't even sure of _his abilities _really annoyed her. Sakura scowled down to her notebook and scribbled a tangle of circles in the top corner.

She was faintly aware that he was still speaking, but she was too annoyed to care at the moment. He moved to the first desk and passed their papers back. When the stack reached her, she found her name and passed the rest on. She flipped the front page over and saw the blue pen mark on the top of her short story.

His handwriting was atrocious and she only just made out the number ninety-five he had written. One check of the pen in the middle of the page where she should have used a semi-colon. On the back page was another check but it was the little note scribbled at the very bottom of the paper that pulled her attention down.

_ 'Glad you decided to stay _'

If she thought her face had been flushed moments ago, she was sorely mistaken. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she was almost certain that if the lights were all out, the room would be perfectly bright with just her face. And if that wasn't annoying enough, she was _smiling _at the five little words he had written for her.

Did anyone else get a note from him?

Surely not.

She hoped not.

Quickly, Sakura returned the paper to the cover page and slipped it into the back of her notebook before placing her hands over it. She tried to pay attention to what Jiraiya was saying but she could barely contain her smile. Only once did she think he noticed it.

He leaned his head to the side, making the thick, white ponytail fall over his shoulder similar to the way Ino did when she was curious about something. Sakura had quickly looked to the windows on the side of the classroom, hoping he assumed she had been texting in class and wasn't having to bite her lip to keep from smiling because of his teaching assistant.

By the time he turned to face the board, marker in his hand, Sakura was able to cool the warmth of her face. She shook the hair from her face and picked up her pen to take notes for the next hour and fifteen minutes. The words ran through her head and she tried to concentrate on what he was teaching-- showing, not telling with their writing-- but she was having trouble staying focused.

After another forty-five minutes and a brief segment where Jiraiya took questions they may have had about the assignment, he dismissed them. Sakura gathered her books, only allowing herself a tiny glance down to the pages of her paper sticking up from her notebook, and made her way behind the rest of the class toward the door.

Jiraiya was at his desk, looking at something on the computer screen and she figured it was best not to look his way. She didn't want to get his attention and have him speak to her. She wasn't anywhere near comfortable with him to speak to him after class yet.

And besides, she had plans to meet Hinata and Tenten in the--

The sight of someone falling in beside her as she moved out into the hall stopped her thoughts abruptly and she looked up at the tall figure walking beside her. Silver hair sticking up in different directions while still looking perfectly styled nearly made her stumble and she blinked in surprise as he turned to look down at her. Surely he was just walking beside her and not _with _her.

But the hallways were starting to clear out and there didn't seem to be anyone else around that he would be walking toward. They reached the top of the stairs, which wasn't very far from the classroom door but Sakura felt as if they had been walking in silence for far too long. She cleared her throat, but never got the chance to speak. He did it first.

"I like what you wrote."

Even from where it was clamped between the pages of her notebook, she could practically feel the little note he had written on her paper burn through to her hand pressing it tighter to her chest. "Oh," she said, unable to think of anything to say. She swallowed tightly and felt her mouth curl up into a nervous smile as he let her go ahead of him on the stairs. It gave her a brief moment where his presence wasn't making her flustered so she could respond. "Thank you. I'm not even sure where it came from."

"That's good," he said once they reached the bottom of the stairs. They descended the next flight and Sakura felt the familiar nervousness that she'd had the day he had spoken to her near the registrar's office. "The best writers pull their most famous works right out of their ass. You'll fit in nicely among them."

Oh, gods, he was complimenting her?

She hugged her books closer to her chest and let out a nervous laugh that echoed just a bit too loud in the stairwell. They reached the bottom floor just as she shook her head. "I don't know about that."

"I do," he replied, turning to grin down at her. It sent an eruption of butterflies through her midsection and she could only stare as he walked past her just a few steps. "I have to ask though. Was the woman in the story you?"

In an instant, her cheeks were lit up like a Christmas tree and she found herself at another loss for words. Why was he always leaving her speechless? As she followed him through the ground floor of the Literature department, she shrugged a shoulder. "I'm not sure. Maybe? I was just trying to think of something uncomfortable and I guess for me, it's the fear of the unknown."

Why did everything she say have to sound so stupid in her head?

He reached out and held the door open for her and like a light, his name popped into her head. She had only recalled his last name the time he had spoken to her in the hall outside the registrar's office and now--_ Kakashi_.

She stepped out into the dreary day once more. Despite the rainclouds still sitting heavily overhead, they hadn't opened up just yet. The smell of rain was on the horizon though. She made her way down the steps outside the front door and turned back to make sure he was still following.

He was, but his face was tilted upward as if he were suspecting the clouds of dropping any moment as well. When he turned back to look down at her, Sakura realized she had been staring at him and while she knew she should have looked away and been embarrassed, all she could do was meet his gaze. The intensity behind it was staggering and she had no idea where it had come from all of a sudden.

Her steps came to a stop where the sidewalk forked off toward the library on one path and the other led to the parking lot. She watched as his tongue darted out quickly to wet his lips seconds before he spoke. "The thing about fear is--" his voice was deeper than it was before and Sakura held her breath as she waited for his words. "That everything you want is right on the other side of it. You just have to turn your fear into curiosity to get what you want."

And then he _winked _at her.

She was faintly aware of her lips parting in surprise but he was already turning away and she didn't want to miss him walking away from her. He looked good, just like the last time he had left her speechless, staring after him while he walked away from her and there was no way she could stop herself from checking him out.

Unfortunately, this time, he didn't turn to glance back at her. He walked back through the doors and once he was far enough away, whatever spell he had over her lifted. She shook her head and turned back to the fork in the sidewalk, not entirely sure what path she wanted to take.

She was far too busy repeating the words he had said to her over and over in her head. _ You just have to turn your fear into curiosity to get what you want. _She didn't know what it meant exactly, or the implication behind the meaning, but she couldn't deny that she was feeling quite curious when it came to him.

* * *

The halls were quiet as Kakashi made his way back up to Jiraiya's third-floor office door. It had become his home away from home the past few years and though he hadn't always enjoyed this job, he was starting to see some..._ perks_. The corner of his lips lifted in a soft smile and he reached up to scratch at his chin.

He had asked Jiraiya to read Ms. Haruno's paper and hoped that was what he was currently doing. He didn't want to have to force the man to do it. Especially when he had quite a few questions he would need to ask him.

Kakashi didn't waste time knocking. He pushed the office door open and found Jiraiya at his messy, cluttered desk that took up the majority of the space. His head was bent over a familiar paper that he had made a copy of earlier that morning and with another small smile, he took a seat in the only chair across from the desk.

The silence was torture and he suspected his friend of taking his time just to annoy him. Kakashi sighed and let his head fall back against the chair to stare up at the water-stained ceiling tiles above him. He didn't know why she was still in his head this way and couldn't really bring himself to care why she was.

There was just something about her. From the moment he had first seen her, sitting at the back of the classroom, scowling like she had smelled something foul, he had been intrigued. And when he had caught her staring at him, the look of surprise on her face had stayed in his head for hours. Of course, the moment he found her in the administration building, standing outside the registrar's office had topped that look of surprise.

This time, she had stared at him as if she were a cornered bunny, caught between her fight or flight instinct. He didn't deny that it had stroked his ego a bit knowing he intimidated her so much. Maybe that was why he couldn't seem to stop thinking about her.

Across from him, Jiraiya sniffed and lifted his head, making Kakashi sit up straight and look at him. "Well? What'd you think?"

"The girl has some talent." The praise made Kakashi's smile widen. "You said she was a biology major last year?"

"That's what she told me."

He watched his older friend stand from his chair and reach over to close the door to his office. As soon as it clicked shut, he gave Kakashi his familiar scowl and drew a sigh from the younger man. The look of doubt on Jiraiya's face wouldn't deter him. "I'm not sure she's the best choice, Kakashi."

With a roll of his eyes, he leaned back in the chair and crossed his hands behind his head. He looked at the man across from him. "Why not?"

“Look at her. She can barely keep eye contact for more than a second. What makes you think she’d fit in with the rest?”

"She's smart and has a great imagination." He lowered his hand and pointed to the paper still sitting on the desk before Jiraiya. "And you read what she wrote in that paper. She's practically begging for someone to show her the way."

The doubtful look on Jiraiya's face didn't fade, even when he scrubbed his palm across his mouth. He sat back in the chair, making the hinges beneath the seat creak in protest. For several seconds, the two of them stared at one another. It was a silent standoff, one that Kakashi refused to back down from.

Jiraiya drummed his fingers over the edge of his desk with slight, nervous energy. It was a sign that his resolve was starting to crumble and Kakashi forced his face to stay passive. "I know you're itching for a new plaything," Jiraiya started. "But you've got to be careful who you recruit."

"One dinner," he offered.

Unsurprisingly, Jiraiya had a counter offer. "_ Just _dinner. I don't want you overwhelming her and the others _ have _ to approve, got it?"

This time, Kakashi didn't hide his grin.

* * *


	3. Path of Life

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Typically, when Sasuke took her out on a date, it ended with a heavy makeout session in his car or outside her dorm room. He was always careful not to come in or ask her to join him in his room and that was incredibly frustrating. Even more so when the entire night, she couldn't even kiss him since he found it _weird _to do it in front of Naruto and Hinata.

The whole movie, she had sat there and watched car chases and explosions with half-assed romance plots squeezed in for the sake of showing a gratuitous tit shot for the male audience and still, he hadn't kissed her. Even in the dark of the theater, with her nuzzled up against his shoulder, doing her best to drop hint after hint that she wanted to make out, he had been oblivious.

Did Hinata have to try this hard?

The few glances Sakura had stolen during the movie to the other couple made her scowl. It seemed that Hinata was satisfied with just being there, head resting on Naruto's shoulder while they shared a bucket of popcorn. And if she was satisfied with that, why wasn't Sakura?

Why did she have to have more?

It made her feel like some street cat in heat, powerless to stop her own anatomy from wanting what Sasuke refused to give. Was this a game he was playing with her?

The questions plagued her thoughts the entire movie and when it was over, she could barely remember any damn detail. That didn't exactly mean she was that distraught over her situation. If anything, it spoke more to how dull and unoriginal the movie was. And while Naruto had burst out of the theater with an all-new enthusiasm for guns and sports cars, Sakura couldn't share in the excitement.

"And the ending scene?" He was practically buzzing with enthusiasm. "Oh man, I wonder if that could ever happen..."

"Are you asking if a car can drive down a collapsing building and safely land on the street to drive away?" Sakura asked him as they all piled back into Sasuke's car. "No, I _ highly _ doubt that's possible."

"Don't ruin it for him," Sasuke said with a smirk curling at his lips. She would have responded with something as equally sarcastic as what she had said to Naruto but she was feeling a bit annoyed with him at the moment and didn't want to speak to him. Thankfully, Naruto launched back into all the possibilities of turning movie magic into reality and ended the night by wondering how he could go about getting a sports car that could go zero to one hundred in a few seconds.

As soon as Sasuke had pulled back into the parking lot outside of her dorm, Sakura debated on whether or not to just get out and leave him without a goodbye kiss. She wished she could be like that. But the street cat in her was wanting a little bit of a relief more than it wanted to prove a point.

"I forgot why we only do this once a month," he started, running a hand through his hair. Sakura hated how such a small gesture made her stomach tighten with want. "Naruto is a bit exhausting."

_ You're _exhausting, she wanted to say.

Instead, she shrugged and looked up at her dorm. It was now or never. If she didn't ask him up, he definitely wouldn't be inviting himself up. She turned to face him and opened her mouth with the intention of asking him to come to her room, but that isn't what came out.

"Are you attracted to me?"

Ugh, what was wrong with her?

"Of course I am, Sakura." He turned to look at her. The lights from the dashboard lit his face and she searched his eyes for the lie she suspected him of telling her. "Why do you even ask something like that?"

"Because you never want to kiss me or have sex." She clamped her mouth shut before more stupidity could flow out. The silence that followed her words was excruciating but she preferred it over the heavy sigh he let out. In just one breath, she could hear exactly how annoying he found her to be.

"Sakura," he said quietly, making her duck her head to look down at her lap. "I am attracted to you. But I'm just not that sexual of a person, okay? I'd much rather enjoy your company."

She frowned and stared at her hands. He wasn't a sexual person. That was fine. She completely understood...but she _was _a sexual person. It was bothersome and frustrating, but she couldn't change who she was, could she?

Sakura lifted her head and met his gaze as he smiled at her. He reached over and ran his hand down the side of her hair, combing a section back behind her ear. Her body didn't seem to get the memo from his words. It was already expecting far too much and she closed her eyes as a shiver rolled down her spine.

Despite his words, Sasuke gave in just a bit. It wasn't to the extent of what she wanted but in the front seat of his car, in the darkness at the back of the parking lot, he kissed her and with a hand up her skirt, gave her an orgasm that would calm her down and get her mind off of wanting him so much. Hopefully for at least a week.

But by Monday, her gratification had worn off and she was back to being just as pent up as before. She had spent the entire morning classes being anxious. Her leg bounced, she chewed the ends of her pens, and for the life of her, she couldn't pay attention to any lesson. Had her conversation with Sasuke really bothered her that much?

Or was it something else?

She didn't want to think about it anymore. It was all she had dwelled on over the weekend and she was a bit sick of thinking about sex and Sasuke. Or the lack thereof. It was upsetting, knowing that the guy she'd had a crush on for the past year and finally started to date wasn't into sex.

It was as if all of her fantasies about him went up in flames with just one conversation. For months, she'd pictured the first time they would have sex or finding him in the library, studying and she would have to seduce him. And it was such a silly, absurd thing to be upset about. He was dating her for her. Wasn't that enough?

Did she _really _have to get laid on a regular basis to have a good relationship with him?

At two o'clock, she found herself back in the Creative Writing classroom. She'd pretty much given up hope for her attention span and hoped there wouldn't be too much critical note-taking for this class. Not that she wanted to be lost in her thoughts either. Especially considering how often her eyes darted to the hallway or the window of Jiraiya's office door, looking for any glimpse of that familiar silver hair.

The last thing she needed was to add _him _to her already mess of thoughts. But even as confusing as he left her each time, she couldn't help hoping that maybe he was waiting for her out in the hallway once more.

Which made it nearly impossible to pay attention to the lesson.

She tried to keep them away, but through the gaps between her confusion and questions about Sasuke, little fantasies started to pop up. At first, it was just seeing Kakashi in random places on campus. Maybe she would see him on her way to her dorm, or tomorrow between classes he would be making his way from one building to the next.

Or perhaps when she spent her time studying in the library, he would be browsing the shelves and she would see him through the spaces in the books. Would he talk to her, make her blush, and flirt?

Sakura blinked herself out of her thoughts and shook her head. No. She was _not _fantasizing about someone else just because Sasuke wasn’t interested in having sex with her. She wasn't going to be that person.

She was going to pay attention to Jiraiya explaining the difference between showing and telling in story writing and she was going to get herself under control. This was becoming a bit ridiculous and she refused to let herself act like a mewling alley cat.

Every word Jiraiya said went down on her notebook to keep herself focused on something other than intrusive fantasies. She wrote every example he gave them and any suggestion, even going as far as copying the exact assignment he set despite having a list of it already. For their next paper, he wanted them to focus on showing not telling. Thankfully it was only one page and all she had to do was pick one of the five senses.

She wanted to stay far away from anything sexual, but as soon as she heard the assignment, a flood of ideas rushed through her mind. Most of them were at least a little dirty, but it was far too easy to make it that way. She could stick to something like hearing a favorite song or a bird outside, but she didn't know enough about music to show rather than tell.

She looked up at the front of the classroom and pursed her lips. Jiraiya stood behind his desk, writing examples of descriptive words on the board and Sakura wondered...would _he _be the one to read their assignments or would he pass it off to his assistant again? If that were the case, then she would be a little tempted to write her initial dirtier ideas.

Her eyes moved to the word _sugary _written across the board. Jiraiya's finger was pointing to it and he turned to face the class. "Don't just write 'it tasted sugary'. We all know what sugar tastes like. We want to know what it _feels _like when you eat it. Same with sour! It puckers your lips and makes your eyes water."

The rest of the class nodded and took notes but Sakura stared at the board. She didn't want to risk writing something provocative if Jiraiya would be the one to read it. But the idea of Kakashi being the one looking over her words, thinking about what she was writing and describing made her feel a little warm.

Blood rushed to her face and she looked down at her notebook where she had put a question mark next to the word _taste _. Writing something like this was definitely still out of her comfort zone but that was the point of this class, wasn't it?

It wasn't very long before Jiraiya dismissed the class and reminded them that their assignment would be due next Monday. "If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I'll try to get back with you as soon as I can." He capped the marker in his hands and tossed it onto his desk before lifting his head. His eyes met Sakura's and before she could look away, he smiled. "Miss Haruno, mind if we have a word?"

In an instant, her stomach twisted into knots and she glanced nervously to the hallway beyond the door. It didn't seem like Kakashi would be out there, waiting to walk her out again and she nodded to her professor. She stepped up to his desk and held her books to her chest.

Jiraiya slid onto his stool and gave her a soft, reassuring smile. "What's your major?"

"Well, currently I'm undecided."

"But it was biology, correct?"

Again, heat rushed to her cheeks and she had the brief realization that Kakashi must have been the one to tell him. Knowing there was a possibility that he had talked about her to Jiraiya was making the words stick to the back of her tongue. "It was, yes."

He nodded and gave her a strange look. His eyes were narrowed suspiciously but the smile on his face was mischievous. "Your first assignment was impressive. Not many biology majors come through these doors and when they do, they can't seem to write for shit."

His bluntness pulled an unexpected laugh from her throat and she shifted from one foot to the other, looking down at the mess of papers on his desk. "Well, I used to read a lot and I just figured I should write something that I would want to read."

"That's a good strategy in creative writing. So, why the switch from biology?"

"I'm..." she trailed off, reaching up to adjust the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder. "I'm not exactly sure. I’d wanted to go to med school for so long and when I actually got here to start my life, it wasn’t what I thought it would be. I’m just using this year to find myself I suppose.”

For a moment, he remains quiet, watching her with a slightly narrowed gaze as if he were reading something on her that she wasn't aware of. He nodded and stood from the stool, crossing to the board to wipe an eraser over the notes he had written. "That's what college is all about," he started, not facing her. "Finding yourself. Must be why I never left."

He finished wiping the board clean and dusted his hands before smiling at her once more. The strange look in his eyes was gone and he was back to being a professor once more. "I'll see you on Wednesday. We're looking forward to reading what you write."

She nodded and turned to make her way out the door. As soon as she turned the corner, his words hit her like a brick and she came to a stop with a few blinks in surprise. _ We _ ? Did that imply that Kakashi _ would _be reading her assignment as well?

With her face still flushing hotly, she managed to make her way down the stairwell and back outside the building, thankful for the cool breeze blowing. It lifted her hair away from her face and she welcomed it against her cheeks. She reached into her purse and grabbed her phone, lighting the screen to check for messages.

One from Sasuke, one from Ino. She adjusted her books to one side and swiped open his message first.

**Sasuke:** Busy Thursday?

**Sakura: **Not at all :) Want to hang out?

**Sasuke: **We're thinkin' of having a billiard tournament in the game room. Come cheer me on.

Sakura scowled down at her phone. That wasn't exactly what she considered a good time, but it wasn't like she was expecting much else at this point. She responded with a quick text telling him that it sounded fun and she'll be there.

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Tuesday was a little better. In a moment of strange inspiration last night, she had completely written out her Creative Writing assignment and thankfully, the bitter thoughts and questions about her Sasuke predicament seemed to have calmed down. Along with her strange pop-up fantasies about someone far too out of her league.

Her Tuesday and Thursday schedule was far lighter than the other two days with just Art Appreciation in the morning and a few hours of work-study in the library. It didn't pay much but it helped her keep her scholarship if she was involved in things around campus. And working in the library was better than having to hand out snacks in the concession stands during games for sports she cared nothing about.

At least this gave her peace and quiet so she could get a little bit of studying down. Not that she really needed it. The only class that posed a challenge this semester was Sociology and it wasn't that difficult. Well, a different challenge than Creative Writing. At least in Sociology, she could just coast on her ability to memorize and take tests.

But despite not being an artist in any way whatsoever, she'd always appreciated art and found the different time periods fascinating to study. The professor was an older gentleman who clicked through a slide show for an hour, giving them enough information for their tests and not much else.

Sakura was alright with that. She could spend an hour two days a week appreciating ancient works of art and getting a decent grade out of it. And just like in her other classes, she had chosen a seat in the back, so when the class was dismissed and she had finally made her way out into the hallway, there wasn't much of a crowd.

Which made it all the more surprising to see Kakashi Hatake standing there, staring up at a framed print of an impressionist work of art. He had his arms folded across his chest and Sakura's lips parted at the sight of his clothes. A dark button-up shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and dark jeans that hugged his legs enough that she could tell he was muscular and lean.

A few black lines of ink peeked out around the curve of his forearm and her curiosity was instantly piqued. Would it be too presumptuous to ask him about it? When she stepped closer, he turned away from the picture and his lips curled into a small smile. By the time he reached her, she was nearly breathless and she could only watch as he hooked his middle finger over the edge of her textbook in her arm and pulled it down enough for him to see.

"Art Appreciation?" His smile widened and she would only allow herself to think briefly about how close his hand was to her chest. "Did you just take random classes this semester?"

"I might have," she said with false indignation. She hugged the books back to her chest and his hand fell to his side. "Is that a crime?"

"Have you started your assignment for Creative Writing yet?"

"I finished it last night actually." The look of surprise on his face shouldn't have given her so much satisfaction, but she couldn't help it. She pursed her lips as he raised an eyebrow and fell in beside her as they moved toward the front doors of the art department.

"May I read it?"

"When I turn it in, you can." She looked up and caught him rolling his eyes playfully. Why was that so hot? He stepped up to the front doors and held one open for her, letting her pass in front of him. As she did, he put a hand to her back and she couldn't stop her eyes from widening or her pulse from picking up speed.

The autumn breeze blew the hair from her face and she turned to check if he was following her. He smiled and let the door shut behind him and together, they made their way down the path the same way they had last week. If this was going to become a routine, she could definitely get used to it.

"What are you doing Thursday night?"

Her fingers tightened around her books and she opened her mouth to quickly close it once again. Was he asking her out? She froze. Her entire body was on autopilot, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other to keep up with his pace. Finally, her mind seemed to catch up and remind her that she had plans Thursday with the guy she'd been seeing. The guy she'd been waiting to date for an entire _year_.

"I-I think I'm hanging out with some friends."

"You _ think_, or you are?"

"I am," she corrected. "I'm hanging out with some friends and the guy I'm seeing. Why?" _ There_. She had established that she wasn't exactly single and if he _had _been asking her out, then he would apologize and drop the question, right?

Kakashi didn't seem to even notice her admission. "I wanted to invite you to a sort of dinner party. It isn't anything formal, just a bunch of like-minded individuals who share ideas and enjoy each other's company."

Okay, so, he _wasn't _asking her on a date?

"And you want me to come." She hadn't meant it as a question really. She was just trying to figure this out. With a glance up at him, she caught his grin and it nearly made her gasp. No one should be able to look that good just by smiling.

"Something like that." The tone of his words was playful and if she didn't know any better, she'd have sworn he was flirting with her. "We only meet once every two weeks or so and I was hoping you could meet some people who might help you."

"What do you mean _help me _?"

"Well, we've all been in your shoes. Lost on the path of life and needing some input in which way to go. One of them is a biologist so I think she could help give you some good advice.” She couldn't help blinking in surprise at his words. How was he always catching her off guard? It was like he could already read her like a book and knew just what to say to leave her surprised and guessing.

She let his proposition sink in. On one hand, she had been looking forward to hanging out with her friends, pigging out on junk food and having fun. Not to mention, the possibility of getting another orgasm was high on her priority list. But the thought of spending time with a mature group of people who had already figured their lives out would benefit her in the long run.

And the chance to figure more about Kakashi Hatake was intriguing. She swallowed and looked up at him, coming to a stop on the sidewalk. He stepped closer to her to let a guy pass behind him and the momentary closeness of him let her get a whiff of his cologne. It nearly made her go completely blank and she cleared her throat to get her thoughts back on track.

When she tilted her head back to look up at him, he already had a smile on his face that said he knew her answer. She didn't know whether to find that annoying or attractive.

"I suppose my friends can do without me for one night."

"Great," he said, sounding genuinely pleased to hear her decision. Again, it shouldn't have made her feel this strange sense of pride to know she had pleased him. "I'll tell them to set a place for you. I can pick you up at six. You're in the Senju Dorms, right?"

She nodded, not sure how to feel about him knowing that bit of information about her, but could do little else. He gave her another wink like he had the last time, one that left her knees just as weak and butterflies just as crazy inside her. As he turned to leave her behind on the sidewalk, Sakura could only stare after him, unsure of what exactly had just happened.

He had asked her out to dinner, yet it wasn't a date. He winked, but she made sure he knew she was seeing someone. Maybe she was reading far too much into this and he really did just want to help her. That made much more sense than him wanting to date her.

He was miles out of her league. They weren't even playing the same game and besides, she had Sasuke. Kakashi _knew _she was seeing someone else and hadn't seemed a bit phased by it, which was further proof that he only saw her as a girl who could use some help from his friends.

He hadn't been flirting at all and honestly, she was relieved by that.

But if that were true, then why did she have butterflies?

* * *


	4. The Dinner Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter is looong!

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In the small dorm room on the fourth floor of Konoha University, clothes were flying left and right out of the narrow closet. Currently, Sakura was on her hands and knees, head buried into the back of her closet where she just _ knew _ the one top she was wanting to wear was stashed away. Her search was turning up empty which only made her anxiety amplify.

She sat back on her heels and looked up at the ceiling as she heaved a heavy, defeated sigh that pulled her best friend's attention away from her phone. Even in just her bra and comfy shorts, she was sweating beneath her armpits and she fanned her hands under them to cool herself down. With a glance back to Ino, ignoring the arched eyebrow on her forehead, Sakura whined.

"Help me."

Ino sighed and dropped her phone to the bed beside her. "You're making an awfully big deal about this, you know?"

"It _is _a big deal. These are people that I want to impress." Sakura slid to the side to make room for Ino and gestured to the clothes spilling out of her closet. "And none of my clothes seem good enough to impress them."

"Sakura," Ino said with a roll of her eyes, picking up a pair of black slacks that Sakura had already deemed unworthy. "You already are impressive. You took three years of college courses before graduating from high school."

"But these people are older. They're mature and have their lives figured out. I can't show up wearing something stupid if I want them to help me." Ino had discarded the pants and held up another piece; a red top that Sakura had placed in the maybe pile. As she assessed the top, the blonde pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Uh-huh. And this is what that teaching assistant told you?"

Sakura scowled at her from over the fabric and snatched it from her. "Yes. Why did you say it like that?"

Another sigh from her best friend and she watched the girl lean into the scattered pile of clothes and pull out a few possible choices. "No reason," she called out before sitting back on her heels with a skirt in her hands. She held it up to the red top Sakura was still holding. "Here. Classy, comfortable, and mature. Wear those boots."

"I don't like him like that, you know?" She scowled up at her friend, watching the blonde move back to the bed pushed into the corner of the room. Ino picked up her cellphone but glanced at Sakura with an arched eyebrow. "I'm dating Sasuke."

At this, Ino scoffed and looked down at her phone. "You're _dating_. That doesn't mean you're exclusive. You two haven't even put any labels on what you are, have you?"

This wasn't the conversation Sakura wanted to have before setting off to dinner with people who she had never met but was already intimidated by. What did she and Sasuke have to do with anything? So what if Kakashi was attractive? That didn't mean she had ulterior motives for doing this.

"So what? Just because we haven't made things official doesn't mean I'm looking for something else, you know?" She stood to her feet and stepped into the skirt that had been picked for her, hoping that Ino wouldn't push the topic any further. Sakura was already sweating enough just from her own anxiety. She definitely didn't need her best friend piling anymore on top of it. Before pulling on the top, she swiped her underarms with a few extra layers of deodorant just in case.

Still, what Ino had said was circling around Sakura's mind like stagnant water circling a drain. Was she upset about the fact that Sakura ditched hanging out tonight or did Ino think she was doing this just because an attractive guy had invited her? Sure, she was rather flustered about the idea of being alone with him in a car for an undetermined amount of time but that wasn't the reason she was this nervous.

This was her future she was talking about and she was nervous about possibly finding others who went through something similar and could help her set her back on track...or on an entirely new track. She had every reason to be nervous about this. But that only made her sweat more and as she turned to look in the mirror at herself, she caught sight of how flushed she was.

Her face was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. Sakura fanned her hands beneath her chin and stepped around a small mound of sweaters to move closer to her mirror. The skirt Ino had picked out for her fell just above her knee and the black material was a nice contrast to the deep crimson top. She just wished her cheeks didn't match the color so well.

From the bed, Ino hummed in thought and Sakura looked at her through the mirror. "What?"

"Nothing." The blonde shrugged. There was clearly _something _on her mind, but Sakura wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was. Actually, she definitely _didn't _want to know. She ignored her and ran a finger across the smudge of lip gloss on her bottom lip before moving onto her hair.

Once she was finished, and since it was getting closer to six than she was ready for, she turned to face her friend and held her arms out at her side. "Do I look okay?"

Ino stood to her feet with a small sigh and reached over to smooth a few flyaway hairs down the side of her head. "You look gorgeous as always. Just be confident and be yourself and you'll have them charmed in no time."

Her words were comforting but didn't make a single dent in the shell of anxiety still surrounding Sakura. It was easy to fake confidence and be herself standing in the middle of her dorm room with her best friend. Being surrounded by people she'd never met, eating dinner next to the one person that never failed to make her thoughts frazzled was going to be much more difficult.

From inside the depths of her purse, she heard a familiar chime of her phone, and all the flush of color in her face quickly drained away. Her alarm was going off, which meant it was ten minutes until six and she should be in proper freak out mode. Which she had been in for the past hour.

She snatched the phone from her purse and switched the alarm off before glancing up to her friend with an uneasy smile. "Walk me down?"

Ino rolled her eyes but headed for the door, wrenching it open with another sigh. "You're hopeless, Forehead." She stepped back to let Sakura walk ahead of her, head hung low while she wallowed in her patheticness. "You sure this--" Ino swirled a finger in front of Sakura's miserable face. "--doesn't have anything to do with a certain teaching assistant?"

Sakura swatted her friend's hand away and scowled as she pulled her door shut and made sure it was locked behind her. The hallway wasn't too crowded for a Thursday evening, but that didn't mean she wanted everyone else to hear about her involvement with a certain teaching assistant either.

"I may be hopeless, but you're insufferable!" The two of them hurried to the elevators and as they stepped onto it, Sakura slapped a hand to the ground floor button. "It has nothing to do with him and everything to do with impressing people who could potentially help me down the line with a career.”

"Whatever you say." Ino didn't even try to hide her doubtful chuckle and Sakura glared at their distorted reflections in the metal doors in front of them. Her stomach didn't clench with nerves until they reached the ground floor and the main lobby of the dorm opened up before them.

Ino stepped off and Sakura froze.

From the vast wall of windows ahead of her, she could see the parking lot stretching outward and the setting sun beating down. The light reflected off the multitude of metal roofs of the cars and lit the lobby like a spotlight. Even with the sunlight blinding her, she noticed Ino stop and turn to face her.

Not wanting to risk another sigh or anymore teasing from her friend, she stepped out of the elevator and busied herself with looking into her purse, as if she were only checking if she had anything and _not _having a brief crisis. She kept her head down, searching through the various pens and gum wrappers in her purse only because it was a better option than looking out and seeing Kakashi waiting for her.

"That him?" Ino asked at the glass doors of the lobby. Her question made Sakura's head pop up and she scanned the brightly lit parking lot in a quick sweep. A black car, pulled up to the curb, with a tall figure standing against it with his hands crossed over his chest made her throat tighten around any possible response.

Instead, she nodded and turned to face Ino as she whistled low. Sakura shook the hair from her face and decided against asking for the third time if she looked alright. She pursed her lips as the blonde continued to stare. "He looks like he smells good."

"He does. Look," Sakura reached out and pushed Ino's shoulder to break her sudden daze. "Just tell Sasuke I'm sick with the stomach bug, okay?"

"Okay," Ino said with a nod, her eyes darting to the right where the windows were.

"Or that I got my period and have cramps."

"Right. Cramps."

"No, wait. Both! I've got the stomach bug _ and _ my period--"

Ino reached out and took her by the shoulders, shaking her gently to shut her up. "Oh my god, just _go! _" Without waiting for a response, Ino kicked the door open and all but shoved the girl out onto the patio area.

Sakura stumbled forward, hands clutching her purse tightly and she stared with wide eyes out at Kakashi still standing beside his car. The sun was low in the sky directly behind him, casting his face in shadows, but Sakura could see he had on a pair of sunglasses that prevented her from knowing exactly how he was looking at her.

The small smile on his lips, however, gave her everything she needed to know and she swallowed tightly before forcing her feet to move her forward. He pushed off the passenger side door as she neared and she suspected his eyes swept down the length of her body. She could practically feel it.

"Nice boots."

The sound of his voice sent a sudden flutter of butterflies against the inside of her stomach and she lowered her purse to her side. She wanted to tell him thanks for complimenting her boots but her voice was hidden beneath the flare of heat inside her. She gave him a smile as he reached back and opened the door for her to step into his car.

It was neat and clean with a black leather interior and a lit screen on the dashboard displaying the music he was listening to. The name of the song as well as the band wasn't familiar but that wasn't surprising. Sakura usually stuck to the same pop playlists or whatever the radio wanted to play. This sounded like something that would never play on the radio stations she listened to. It was heavier than anything she preferred and a little dark, but somehow it suited him.

Kakashi opened the driver's side door and dropped into the seat and within seconds, they were alone together. If she had been freaking out before, then this was a whole new level of nervousness. God, she hoped she didn't start sweating again.

He didn't say anything to her and she was thankful. There was no way she'd be able to talk at the moment anyway. With a final glance up to the windows of the dorm lobby, spotting Ino still standing there, staring at them, Sakura sat back in her seat. It was naive to think she'd keep this all to herself. Whatever. She could tell Tenten and Hinata, but if Ino let this spill to Sasuke or Naruto, then Sakura was going to have to get violent.

The sun was blinding as he pulled the car out onto the road and she reached up to pull the visor down. It did little to help her and she cursed herself for being so short before flipping the visor back up.

Kakashi chuckled and glanced at her. "Want my sunglasses?"

"Oh," she squeaked caught off guard by his question. "No, I'm fine. But thank you."

"Why do you look so nervous?"

Ah, she'd been caught. She hated that it was so noticeable and she let out a nervous, little laugh before ducking her head. "I'm not _ that _ nervous."

"Hmm," was all he said. The music filled the silence and she was thankful for that at least. She risked a glance to his side of the car, hoping her hair hid her stares from him. He held the wheel in his left hand and the sight of his arm stretched out, without anything hiding his tattoo made her forget all about trying to surreptitiously steal glances at him. His sleeve was rolled up to his elbow but the majority of the image was there for her to finally see.

She lifted her head and blatantly stared at the intricate, black line work. "You have a tattoo?"

"I do." Kakashi reached over and pushed his sleeve a few inches up his arm so she could see it better. There was no color to it but it was an incredibly detailed image of a wolf's head. The mouth was open wide, teeth barred and razor-sharp and the eyes were filled with white. Sitting on top of the wolf's head was a cracked skull.

"Wow," Sakura said, letting herself finally look up at his face. "It's intense. Does it mean anything?"

"It means I was eighteen and thought it would make me look badass."

She nodded and thought of her own rash decision at eighteen to be permanently inked. She had gone with Ino and Tenten the summer they graduated and all three of them had planned something special. By the time Sakura had come out of the room, freshly scarred, she discovered that her two friends had completely backed out.

"What about you?" His voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned her head with a smile.

"Oh, I think it looks badass as well."

"Smartass." If it weren't for the grin curling his lips, she would have thought she had annoyed him. The flash of his teeth caught her attention and she couldn't help staring at his canines, wondering if they were as sharp as his tattoo. "Do you have any tattoos?"

This time, it was her turn to give him a wolfish grin. "I do."

From over the top of his sunglasses, she caught a single eyebrow arching and he quickly glanced over her before returning his attention back to the road. "Nothing immediately visible. Let me guess, you have a butterfly on your back?"

"Nope." After a quick giggle, she added, "you'll never guess."

"Then show me."

Heat flooded to her cheeks and she quickly turned her head to the window, hoping she appeared to be more interested in the scenery passing by than with his blatant flirtation. She lifted a shoulder in an indifferent shrug. "Maybe one day."

It was the wrong thing to say, she knew. After all the grief she'd given Ino for insinuating things, she was going to blatantly flirt with him? She was a hypocrite and a bad girlfriend...or whatever she was. She swallowed down her shame and hoped he didn't notice her sudden frustrations with herself. Then again, he had noticed her nervousness earlier.

As if on cue, the song switched and something much heavier and faster poured from the speakers, matching the dark shift of her mood. The volume was low enough that they could speak over but it suddenly seemed louder in their silence. She'd never listened to music like this. It was different and dark and she had to admit, a little bit exciting.

_ He _was different and dark and exciting.

Sakura bit the inside of her lip at the thoughts of him and the overall aura he projected. She tried not to dwell too much on it. It wasn't healthy developing a crush on someone she barely knew when she was involved...then again, was it healthy getting into a relative stranger's car and going to a dinner party where she didn't know a single person?

Her panic was brief and she assured herself she was safe with a deep, calming breath to still her racing pulse. He was a creative writing teaching assistant. What danger was she truly in? Was she worried he would write fiction about her? The thought almost made her laugh and she turned to the window to hide her smile.

As the car took a right, the sun thankfully switched sides and gave her some relief from the brightness. Now that she could see properly, she noticed they were in a part of Konoha she didn't go to often. In fact, she'd never been here. All of the houses were two or more stories with sprawling lawns and perfectly clipped hedges.

Even though it wasn't anything flashy, the neighborhoods Kakashi drove her through were very clearly of the wealthy variety and she couldn't help staring in a bit of awe at each estate they passed. He took another turn, this time facing the sun once again, but the sunlight was obscured by a massive row of trees lining a tall, wrought iron fence. He pulled up to a gate and entered a number into a keypad.

Sakura barely registered that it was there at all before the doors to the gate swung open and he continued on. She couldn't help letting her jaw drop. Where the hell was he taking her and was her outfit good enough for _this_?

The street wound through the gated community and after a few more turns through streets that Sakura would never be able to memorize, the car began to slow. At the end of a cul-de-sac, a house sat relatively alone. The yard was mostly trees, enormous and full of leaves just starting to turn colors. Through the branches, the sight of the house made her jaw drop once again.

It had a stone facade with a single gable facing the street. Ivy crawled up the front, rich and green, and stretching up to the attic windows. She could see a massive window near the front door with various shrubs beneath it. They weren't as neatly manicured as the bushes at the other houses, but their messiness didn't take away from the house at all. If anything, they added to the ambiance of the entire grounds, giving the house a cozier, lived-in feel.

As Kakashi pulled into the driveway, Sakura turned to him with her mouth hanging open and eyes wide. "Do you live here?"

His laugh was reassuring. She didn't know what she'd do if this was his house. As he shook his head, she sat back in her seat to take it all in for the moment. "No, I don't live here. Jiraiya does." Her jaw fell just a bit lower. How the hell does a college professor make _this _kind of money? "Well, the house belongs to him anyway. He comes and goes a lot and when he's gone, he lets us house sit."

_ Us_? She shook that thought from her head and asked the next question that popped into her head. "Is that what you're doing tonight?"

"Sort of." Kakashi turned the car off and turned to face her. He took his sunglasses off and dropped them into the compartment between their seats, never taking his eyes off of her. She knew he could sense her sudden anxiety. He lifted his eyebrows, waiting for her to speak.

"This isn't just dinner, is it?"

"What else would it be?" His avoidance of her questions wasn't as cute as it was the other day. She pursed her lips and he gave her that infamous lop-sided grin. "You're letting that fear get to you again. Are you more afraid of what's in that house, or are you curious?"

After a moment of hesitation, though it did no good to clear the jumble of thoughts in her head, she answered him. "Curious."

It wasn't fair how his smile of approval gave her so much satisfaction. Why did she care so much about pleasing a man she barely knew at all? Kakashi reached for the handle of his door but didn't open it just yet. He searched her eyes for a moment before dropping his gaze to her lips. "Well, why are we still sitting out here then?"

She held her breath. Was he going to kiss her?

No. That was stupid. Why would he try to kiss her? Why did she want him to?

The door opened, cutting through her thoughts and he stepped out before she could even catch her breath. For a moment she sat still, unsure what that had been. She could have sworn he was going to kiss her. He had looked at her lips, dropped his voice into almost a whisper, and honestly, she would have let him do it. Which made her feel like a horrible, disgusting person.

Sasuke was sitting with their friends, probably feeling sorry that she was sick (as far as he knew) and here she was, out with another guy, anticipating him kissing her. What was wrong with her?

Sighing at her own stupidity, she opened her door and stepped out of his car, swearing that she wouldn't let Kakashi get to her for the rest of the night. There were two other cars in the driveway as well and Sakura circled around a small, silver sports car to follow Kakashi. He didn't take her to the front door and instead passed beneath an archway of branches to the back yard. Already she could hear the soft sounds of conversation and her stomach tightened.

The lush grass gave way to a patio area surrounded by shrubbery and wild, overgrown flower pots that spilled out with curling vines and leaves. A pergola was set up near the back door with a shade drawn over it. Beneath it sat a long outdoor table and at the sight of several people sitting around it, laughing quietly and talking, Sakura felt her shyness return in full force.

She slowed to a stop just far enough away that she wasn't being weird, but not close enough to be out of her comfort zone. One of them, a rather handsome man at the head of the table furthest away from her with a line of facial hair following his jaw, lifted his head and spotted Kakashi coming closer. He grinned and stood up to greet his friend with a hug.

The others waved and told Kakashi 'hello' but it was the man who peered around him to grin at her that caught her attention. "And who is this?"

Kakashi turned to look at her and waved his hand out for her to join them. She moved closer with slow steps and gave everyone a polite, shy smile. "This is Sakura. Sakura, this is everyone."

"Oh, what a lazy introduction, Hatake." The man took a few steps toward her and held his hand out for her to shake. His smile was friendly and warm and Sakura felt her own widen. "I'm Asuma."

"Nice to meet you," she said, mentally cursing her voice for sounding so timid. She couldn't remember ever feeling shy like this. Even when she met with the committee overseeing her scholarship, she hadn't felt quite like this. All of these people, as friendly as they were sitting there smiling at her, all seemed so much..._ more_.

They were older, so put together and sure of themselves. She could easily sense the friendship between them and the possible years they've been doing this. She wanted to be a part of them, yet she felt too scared to even attempt it.

There were only five of them at the table but there were spaces set for at least eight people. Kakashi stepped around her and put a hand to her back, guiding her to one of the empty chairs on the side of the table. She smoothed her skirt down and sat in the chair, smiling at the woman sitting across from her.

With a soft smile in return, she switched her wine glass to her other hand and reached over the centerpiece of unlit candles to shake Sakura's hand. "I've actually already heard a little bit about you, Sakura." The woman gave a quick glance to Kakashi and he let out a small sigh before she continued. "I'm Shizune. Hatake tells me you're majoring in biology?"

"No," Kakashi said before she could answer. "I said she _ was _ majoring in biology."

From the end of the table, Asuma laughed around the rim of his beer bottle. "Let the girl talk for herself, for crying out loud."

Kakashi sat back in his chair and held up his hands in surrender. Sakura pursed her lips to hide her smile before turning to face the woman across the table from her. "I was a biology major last year. Now I'm a bit undecided."

"Oh, we've all been there." Shizune took another sip of her wine and smiled. "I think I switched majors three times before finally deciding on biology. It was my first pick but I convinced myself I didn't like it my second semester."

"Seven for me." Another woman to Sakura's right said, raising her wine glass in a toast. She reached over to a plate of fruit and plucked a grape from the vine to pop into her mouth. "I'm in graduate school and I'm still not one hundred percent sure I'm where I want to be."

"Oh, shut up, Anko." It was Kakashi who replied, leaning forward to shake his head at the woman from around Sakura. "We all know you're destined for Chemistry. What other professions would let you mix volatile chemicals for fun?"

A round of laughter circled the table and Sakura caught a wink from the woman at her right before the patio door opened. Asuma looked up and lifted his hand toward the woman making her way outside. The first thing Sakura noticed was that she was pregnant--very pregnant. She was strikingly beautiful with dark hair that fell around her shoulders and a pale face that was glowing in the evening sun.

"Alright, let's stop bombarding the poor girl with questions," Asuma said with a chuckle as he pulled the woman closer to him. He hugged her around her hip and she gave him a playful scowl. "I'm starving."

"Well, it's nearly ready. You could be helping your very pregnant wife instead of drinking out on the patio."

Sakura turned her head toward the doors where the cool breeze of the air conditioning was slowly slipping out around her legs. From inside, she could see an enormous kitchen beyond the formal dining room. "Wow," she couldn't help saying. "This house is beautiful."

Shizune turned toward the doors and nodded. "Yes, it is. We love coming here." When she turned back around, she raised her glass and pointed a finger to Kakashi. "Show her the house. Give her the tour."

"The _ grand _ tour?" Kakashi asked, his voice suddenly close to her ear, making her suck in a quick breath. She turned to find him sliding his chair back and standing and she quickly did the same. Her heart was in her throat and the emphasis he had used echoed through her head.

As they rounded the table, Anko leaned her head back with a grin. Her legs were pulled up into the chair and Sakura could see that she was wearing a pair of comfy shorts and a t-shirt with a pair of house slippers on her feet. Maybe she hadn't needed to put so much energy into her outfit after all.

"I think it would be best to save the grand tour for after dessert," Anko called as they stepped through the doors. She had a strange smirk on her face as Sakura turned around to glance back at her but she figured it was best to ignore it for the moment. It was clear they were sharing an inside joke that Sakura was clearly on the outside of.

The air conditioning blasted her on all sides as she entered the house and she was relieved to feel the cool air on her flushed face. Kakashi moved on ahead of her, crossing into the kitchen where another woman stood in front of the stove. She was younger than the others, only a few years older than Sakura and she turned to greet them both with a warm, friendly smile.

She shared a quick hug with Kakashi and shook Sakura's hand, introducing herself as Hana. Whatever she was currently searing on the stovetop smelled delicious and she stepped back so Sakura could see into the pan. Kakashi reached for a slender glass and poured it half full with white wine as Hana turned to face them. "Do you like scallops? Kakashi didn't really tell us what you'd like to eat."

"Oh, no, that's fine. I'm not picky."

She didn't have much time to reassure her before Kakashi was leading her out of the kitchen with a nod of his head. She followed like a child and stared up at the massive ceiling of the room he led her into. It was a living area with vaulted ceilings and a stone fireplace at the back of the room that stretched up to the beams high above them. Kakashi waved a lazy hand at the room, presenting it to her.

"Wow, I think this is the nicest house I've ever been to." Sakura glanced back at the kitchen, inhaling another deep breath of the food. "And dinner smells delicious."

"They wanted to know if you were allergic to anything, but I wasn't sure. Are you?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Shellfish? Tomatoes? Latex?"

"_Latex _?" The squeak in her voice surprised her and she lifted a hand to grip the base of her throat. A thousand thoughts filled her head, most of them verging on the sexual side and she quickly shoved them out of her mind as he chuckled with a shake of his head.

"I'm kidding. Loosen up a little. Here," he said, holding out the wine glass he had suspiciously poured for himself, yet hadn't taken a single sip of.

Sakura looked from the bubbles floating to the top of the liquid back up to his face and shook her head. "I can't. I'm underage."

The roll of his eyes made her swallow tightly and she wished he didn't do it with such a smug little smile on his face. It created such a clash of feelings inside her. Annoyance and intrigue; frustration and delight. "By how much?"

"Six months."

He pushed the glass into her hand and turned to a wide opening leading away from the living room into the main hall of the house. "Drink," he called over his shoulder and before she could stop herself, she lifted the glass to her mouth.

It wasn't like she'd never drunk alcohol before. She'd partied with her friends plenty of times and had the hangovers to prove it. But she'd never obeyed someone's orders as quickly and without complaint the way she had with Kakashi and knowing she was so easily doing everything he commanded of her made her hesitate.

She stared at the back of his head with a scowl as he moved into the hall. "Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of bossy?"

"Once or twice." He turned to face her. "Does it bother you?"

It should have. But if she was being honest with herself, she was more bothered by how little she was bothered by him bossing her around. She wanted to resist his demands and little flirtations that seemed so smug and cocky just to prove that they didn't affect her, but she was more interested in provoking him further.

With a shake of her head, she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip. It was far and beyond tastier than any of the crap she had drunk at the numerous parties she'd been dragged to. As she sipped more and more of the alcohol, feeling the bubbles tickle all the way down into her stomach, she followed Kakashi around the first floor of the house.

He showed her a theater room, a powder room, and the downstairs master bedroom that made her feel a bit flushed to see. The bed was enormous and she had braced herself for a quip from him that would make her hot from head to toe, but he had remained quiet and behaved himself.

She almost wanted to provoke him to say something to her, but she remained quiet, stuffing her mouth with alcohol instead. It was better that she didn't anyway.

She'd never been this way with someone before. Sure, she tried to get Sasuke to feel her up in the movie theater and actually _touch _her but this was different, strange. If she wasn't so nervous and shy about being at a dinner party with such sophisticated people in a massive house, she'd suspect that Kakashi did want to do all the things she had to beg Sasuke to do to her.

The way he looked down at her as he let her pass between him and the doorway, watching her with those half-lidded, dark eyes that were far too deep for her to even attempt to figure out while she was becoming tipsy was almost too much. And she couldn't deny that there was _something _between them. A strange spark that sizzled when they were near one another, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then again, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

Anytime she suspected him of being attracted to her and wanting her in _that _way, he seemed aloof and anytime she decided to forget it and focus on Sasuke, he would say something that took her breath away. And now, they were standing in the dimly lit hallway beyond the master bedroom, staring at one another as he closed the door behind him. The hallway felt far too small all of a sudden, despite being quite spacious.

She wanted to look down into her glass, to look at anything but the way he stared at her. Unfortunately, she was frozen in place. She could only stare as he reached a hand toward her and brushed his thumb across a tiny droplet of wine she hadn't realized had dropped on the edge of her lip. It rolled down just a bit before he caught it and wiped it away.

"Dinner should be ready."

His hand fell away and Sakura blinked in surprise as he turned and left her there. She stood, rooted to the spot, staring after him as he crossed the hall back to the living room. It took her a moment to catch up but when she did, she found him helping Asuma carry plates and dishes out onto the patio. She tried to help but Hana shooed her away and told her with a smile that guests weren't allowed to help.

Sakura took her same chair beside Kakashi's and fell into silence as the rest of his friends dipped portions onto their plates and passed bottles of wine around the table. Twice, Kakashi filled her glass and Sakura scowled at him the second time, gaining only a quick smirk in response.

She was already tipsy enough. Another glass and she'd be drunk. She already didn't trust herself with him and she knew getting too drunk would be a mistake that she would definitely regret the next day. For the remainder of the dinner, she sipped water between bites of the delicious meal and listened to the conversation.

Halfway through the meal, Sakura got the gist of everyone's careers or at least what they were doing currently with their lives. Anko was in graduate school as she had mentioned earlier; Asuma and his wife Kurenai worked at Konoha University as professors; Hana was in veterinarian school while Iruka was doing his student teaching for the next year; Shizune briefly taught college-level but currently worked in pharmaceutical research, which was exactly the area Sakura had been interested in.

Unfortunately, between the alcohol and the number of conversations going at once, she didn't have much of a chance to pick Shizune's brain about it all. After dessert, which was a lemon pie that was by far the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted, Sakura sat back in her chair and listened to Asuma and Kakashi argue about the current state of tuition prices at the university.

Apparently, there were talks amongst the administrators that prices were about to rise and while Asuma played the devil's advocate in favor of the hike to ensure growth, Kakashi was opposed. Their debate was fascinating to listen to and Sakura was under the impression that the two of them did this often.

Kakashi sat back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head with a cheeky smirk on his face. It was one that Sakura had seen him make before when he was going to tease her about something. "Maybe if you weren't too old to remember what it was like paying for tuition, you'd feel differently."

"Oh, I see," Asuma chuckled, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Can't back up your opinions with real evidence so you insult! I do believe it was Plato who said 'when the debate is over, slander becomes the tool of the loser'."

Laughter scattered through the table and Sakura noticed the roll of Kakashi's eyes. She wanted to bite her tongue, but it was impossible at that moment. She'd never been able to resist correcting people when they were wrong. She glanced from the man at her left to Asuma and opened her mouth.

"Actually, Plato didn't say that." The laughter died abruptly and everyone turned to face her. She swallowed but didn't take her eyes away from the dark-haired man at the end of the table. "It was Socrates."

Asuma's eyebrows slowly raised but not out of annoyance. He seemed impressed. Sakura tried not to let it go to her head. Seeing Kakashi's grin, however, made that difficult.

He picked up his glass and brought it to his lips. Before he took a drink, he said, "Hmm, maybe you need to revisit Philosophy 101, Sarutobi. I hope you can afford the tuition for it on your salary."

Kurenai hid her giggle behind her glass of water and Sakura ducked her head to hide her smile as well. The others didn't bother and openly laughed at Kakashi's rebuttal.

When the conversations wound down and the sun had officially set below the horizon, Sakura helped clear the table while Asuma, Iruka, and Kakashi played the typical male role and took a stroll. Anko dumped a plate into the sink and put her hands on her hips with a huff.

"Why do we get stuck with this job while they get to go off and smoke cigars?"

"You're more than welcome to join them, Anko," Kurenai teased as she wiped the crumbs off the marble counter and into her hands. "No one's making you do dishes."

"Yeah, well," she grumbled, looking at Sakura. "I just think it's sexist that they assume we'll be the ones cleaning up."

"I agree," Sakura said. "I could help. I really don't mind."

"Oh, hush. The guest shouldn't do the chores." Shizune sent a wink her way and continued helping Hana load the dishwasher. They all moved together in sync as if this was their regular routine and Sakura found herself just watching them work. It was easy to see that they had all known one another for a long time. Their friendship was inspiring.

While Sakura sat on the stool at the bar, watching the women work, Shizune lifted her head from the dish she was rinsing and smiled at her. "So, what made you change your mind from biology?"

Sighing, Sakura glanced down and traced the pattern of the marble on the counter with her middle finger and shrugged a shoulder. "I'm not sure exactly. I just had it all planned out for so long and when I actually got to college and was immersed in it day after day, I stopped wanting it. I’m not sure how to explain it.”

The four of them had all slowed in their individual tasks to listen to her and Kurenai nodded as she folded the towel she had been using to clean the stovetop. "I understand. You're on the precipice of your life, making these enormous decisions. There's a pressure on young adults these days to make the right choice that you're not even sure how to make."

Her words stunned Sakura. It was as if Kurenai had reached into her head and pulled out all of the questions of doubt she'd been feeling over the past several months and perfectly put them into words. She nodded, unsure what else to say and absentmindedly spun her glass of water on the counter.

"Look," a voice to her left said, making her lift her eyes to see Anko shift from one foot to the other. She leaned forward and placed her palms on the counter. "College is a time to live. If you want to be an artist this semester and an engineer the next, do it. Don’t get hung up on the technicalities. Just focus on the experiences."

As she grinned, Sakura opened her mouth to speak and never got a chance. Someone else had made their way into the kitchen from the patio and found his way behind her stool.

“I agree with Anko, actually.” She turned and stared up at Kakashi. The smell of cigar smoke was faint on him and mingled with the subtle cologne he wore. It was a smell she was going to remember for a long time. “It’s far more rewarding to experience life rather than spending the next twenty-five years trying to plan it out perfectly. But for now, I should take you back."

"Already? It's only nine." Anko said exactly what Sakura was thinking, but she didn't want to argue with him. These were his friends, not hers, and she didn't want to be a selfish guest by whining to stay. "We haven't even started having fun yet."

“I’m sure Sakura has better things to do with her night than listen to you wax poetic. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“I don’t mind—”

Before she could get the words all the way out of her mouth, Kakashi's hand came to rest on the small of her back and he stepped aside to guide her through the doors leading to the patio. At the door frame, she turned back and waved to the group standing in the kitchen, watching her leave.

"I-It was nice to meet all of you! Thank you for dinner!"

Along the edge of the sloping lawn, she could see Asuma and Iruka strolling along and the taller of the two put his hands around his mouth to call out. "You leaving already?"

Sakura looked to Kakashi for a response but he offered nothing. He continued on to the archway leading back to the cars and with a frown, she held up her hand in a wave. "It was nice to meet you!"

They said something else but she couldn't quite hear what it was and by then, Kakashi was already back at the driver's side of his car. She hurried to catch up, pausing at the front of the car to look at him. He opened the door, his face stoic and passive. She pursed her lips. "I don't mind staying, you know? I don't have a curfew."

Surprisingly, he didn't give her an answer. He dropped into the driver's side and shut the door behind him. What the--Was he upset with her for some reason? She didn't recall offending anyone or him the entire night. With a sigh, she hurried to her side of the car and dropped in. She didn't reach for the seatbelt but he was already shifting into reverse.

The music picked right back up where it had left off and she frowned at the screen. She didn't remember it being this loud and she waited for him to turn it down. When he didn't, she did it for him. It caught his attention quickly.

"Is there a particular reason why you're wanting to get rid of me?" He gave her a quick glance before steering the car back onto the quiet, residential street. They drove through the gated community and when it was clear he wasn't going to speak, she continued. “Because if I did or said anything to offend someone, I’d like to know.”

"You didn't. They all seemed to like you. Better than any other person I’ve introduced to them, actually.” He turned the wheel to the right and Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. She can't help but wonder how many people he had brought to a dinner like that, but she decided not to press it.

"Then why are you trying to get rid of me?"

A stop sign ahead of them was the last they would come to before they were out of the neighborhood altogether and with a sigh, Kakashi steered them to the curb and stopped a few car lengths away from the sign. To their right, on a corner lot, an enormous house with thick, white columns stood. It looked empty and Sakura could see a realtor's sign stuck in the perfectly mowed lawn.

"Look," Kakashi's voice pulled her attention back to him and she watched him sit back in his seat and comb his hands through his hair. "You're a sweet girl--" She hadn't expected the sudden clench of her stomach at his words. "I just don’t want you to be intimidated. After dinner, the conversations usually turn…intense. I thought it would be best if you sit it out this time until you get to know us better.”

Somehow, hearing him call her sweet was both endearing and infuriating. She felt like she was twelve years old again, being patronized and she shook her head to rid it of that thought. “I may be sweet, but I’ve never had a conversation too intense to listen to. I promise I can handle it.”

Slowly, Kakashi lifted his head and turned to look at her. The darkness of the car, with only the light of the headlights reaching them, made him look sinister. There was an intensity in his dark eyes that she'd never seen on him before...She wasn't sure she'd ever seen it on _anyone _before. It made her breath freeze in her lungs and her hands clenched tighter around her arms.

Tension spiked between them, just as it had earlier when they had first arrived at Jiraiya's house when she had thought he would kiss her. That moment couldn't even compare to the one they shared currently. Sakura had never wanted to kiss someone the way she did at that moment and she wasn't sure if it was the two glasses of wine she'd had that was making her feel like this or what.

For the third time in the last couple of hours, Kakashi's eyes flickered down to her lips before meeting her gaze once more. One slender eyebrow arched and he reached for the gear shift between them. As he put the car in drive, Sakura thought she caught the curl of his lip but he turned to face the road and she could no longer tell if he was smiling or not.

"If that's what you want," he challenged quietly, making her teeth close around her bottom lip. 

With a nod, she confirmed that it was and hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

Though he was no longer staring at her, the tension hadn't smoothed and she shrank a bit lower in the seat. A strange feeling settled inside her and she didn't know if that was because of him, or because she couldn't seem to shake the feeling that this was going to be much more intense than she had prepared for.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo, the next chapter is going to be a fun one to read.


	5. Blindfold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short but it's a fun one :)

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The drive back to the house was silent and slow. It felt as if he were taking as much time as possible and more than once Sakura suspected him of taking a long way back. She wanted to ask him if that's what he was doing, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Something told her it was best to stay quiet.

He wouldn't even give her a straight answer anyway. Any question she asked, he would only ask her one in return to distract her. He was quite good at it and she knew she would have to be better at keeping herself on track around him. 

The whole mystery surrounding him and his friends might have all been in her head, but she couldn't deny that he was being rather sneaky at the moment. If he knew she suspected him of taking his time and doing all of this for an ulterior motive, then he was good at hiding it. She wondered if he'd done this kind of thing before. 

By the time they returned to the house, the front porch lights were out, as well as the warm string lights on the patio. The only evidence that anyone was home was the cars still parked in the driveway and a few lights on that she could see in the windows of the house. 

It was different this time when Kakashi parked the car in the same spot he had earlier. She was sure she looked much more nervous this time around, but he didn't mention it now. He turned the car off and got out, leaving her to sit in her seat and watch him move through the headlights still shining brightly. He lifted his head and looked at her through the windshield and Sakura knew it was now or never. 

She stepped out and put a hand to the doorframe, opening her mouth to ask him what was going on. Before she could, he turned his back to her and moved toward a narrow, stone path that cut through the thick lawn. He was at the front steps by the time she shut the car door behind her and after hesitating a moment, Sakura realized he wasn't going to wait for her. She sighed and closed the distance between them. 

Kakashi was punching a code into the lock on the front door by the time she reached him and she realized by the third number she was rudely watching. Her eyes cut to the glossy red paint covering the door and wondered if it had been freshly painted. Just as she raised her hand to touch it, the lock clicked and Kakashi pushed the door away from her fingers. 

The main foyer, with the vaulted ceilings leading into that massive living room, was dark. Down the hall where the kitchen and dining room was separated from the master bedroom and theater room, a light was on and Sakura frowned as she stepped over the threshold. 

She could hear no conversations this time. There was no laughter either and from the first glance around, she'd guess that everyone had up and left. The cars in the driveway would say otherwise and she scowled up at Kakashi as he stepped around her. 

"Where is everyone?"

He shut the door and twisted the lock into place before shrugging. "They're around."

"It's so quiet. Kind of creepy."

Kakashi looked back at her with a grin curling the corners of his lips and her eyes instantly flickered down to see his teeth. She thought of the tattoo on his arm, of the wolf's bared teeth, ready to clamp around its prey. She didn’t like feeling like the prey right now. In fact, she disliked it so much that it stopped her in her tracks in the middle of the main foyer.

He turned at the end of the hall and lifted an eyebrow to her, asking her without ever speaking if something was wrong. Now was the time to tell him that she didn’t appreciate his little games. She was thoroughly creeped out and if he wanted her to be compliant, he was going to have to explain himself. 

But maybe she was being a little ridiculous.

These people were scholars. Half of them were affiliated with the university in some way or another, for god’s sake. Did she actually think they would be capable of hurting her? They weren’t murderers, she told herself with a sigh.

After only half a second of hesitation, she continued on and followed Kakashi to the end of the main hall. The heels of her boots echoed through the silence and with each step, she doubted her previous assumption. If these people  _ weren’t _ murderers or kidnappers or  _ whatever _ , then why the hell was Kakashi currently standing outside another door with a keypad.

It was just between the powder room and the master bedroom and she was surprised she hadn’t noticed it earlier when he was giving her the tour. Then again, she’d been a bit distracted by how close he was to her in the hallway. She watched with wide eyes as he pressed another four-digit code into the lock and pushed it open.

Inside was a stairway leading down into a basement and Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay,” she said with a scoff. “What is this?”

“You said you wanted to join the conversation,” he trailed off, gesturing with a hand toward the stairs.

“Yeah, but a conversation in a normal place like the living room, or patio. This is just…” She turned and looked back down to the stairs. “Creepy.”

“Why does it matter where a conversation is being held? If you don’t think you’re ready--” Before he could pull the door shut once again, Sakura reached out and stopped it with her palm. She cut her eyes to him and scowled.

“Did I say I wasn’t? I’m just telling you. It’s creepy.”

Kakashi pushed the door back open and gave her another wolfish grin. “Noted.” He stepped past her and descended the stairs, leaving her back at the top step. With another sigh, she crossed her arms over her chest and followed him downward. It felt like it took an eternity to reach him but when she did, Sakura couldn’t help but notice that the hallway they were in now, was much smaller.

As they moved onward, her elbow was brushing against his and the wall on the other side of her. She could feel the smooth paint brushing against the hairs of her arm and it sent chills down her arms. She tried to focus on the plush carpet beneath her boots, or the bright, recessed lighting above her--anything to calm her nerves.

There were two doors at the end of the narrow hallway, one leading straight ahead and another leading to the left. The one to the left was not the one Kakashi reached for. He turned his head, hand curled around the doorknob, and looked down at Sakura, catching her gaze. Never in her life had she felt more like a cornered rabbit in the face of a wolf. 

“Ready?” He asked with a slight curl to his pale lips.

Her voice was nowhere to be found and she pressed a hand to her chest as she struggled to say, “For what?”

Without an answer, Kakashi pushed open the door and stepped back so she could walk inside the room first. It was dark, but from the light in the hallway, she could see enough of the room to see that it was...a theater room?

There were two rows of seats, kind of like sofas with armrests between the two sets of cushions. It reminded Sakura of the upscale movie theaters with the reclining seats. A white screen was pulled down immediately to the left of the door, nearly covering the entire wall that the sofas faced. She moved further into the room and watched the light from the hallway fade until it disappeared with a click of the door.

She whirled around to face Kakashi, who she could just barely see in the dim light coming from behind the projection screen. If she thought she was freaked out before, then she didn’t know what she was feeling now. The sudden urge to run was spiking through her and she backed away from him as he moved nearer. Thankfully, he stopped at the screen and reached for the handle. 

With a short tug, it unlocked and he rolled it up to the ceiling. Sakura started to follow it up with her gaze, but the window beyond the screen quickly stole her attention away. The entire wall, from waist to ceiling was a thick pane of glass that looked out into the next room. It must have been what was behind the other door he had ignored moments ago.

She frowned and leaned closer, not sure exactly what she was looking at. The room beyond theirs was much larger, stretching back along the length of the hallway and then some. Toward the back, she could see two other doors that were currently closed. The walls were painted a dark gray and the floors were a rich, dark stain on concrete. 

Hesitantly, Sakura stepped closer to the window and arched a single eyebrow at the sight of the various furnishings throughout the room. There was a leather sofa close to the window, with a metal rack secured into the wall beside it. Two leather cuffs hung from the rack and Sakura felt her mouth open as she scanned the rest of the room.

A strange chair was situated on the opposite side, with straps hanging from the arms and footrests and further back, there was an enormous shelf with all sorts of things hanging from it. Whips, chains, ropes, things she couldn’t even fathom. 

Sakura blinked and let out a small, breath of a laugh. She was in too much shock to do anything else. From behind her, she could practically feel Kakashi’s stares on her, watching her reaction but she didn’t think she could process him at the moment. Not when she was still trying to process  _ this _ ! 

Before she could speak or turn around to stare up at him, one of the doors at the back of the room opened and she quickly cut her eyes to a shirtless Asuma. He had a cigar gripped between his lips and in his hand, he held onto a thin chain that was attached to someone’s neck. No...not  _ someone _ . Hana.

She was on her hands and knees, crawling after him and the sight of her naked body made Sakura’s mouth hang open in shock. It was almost too much to even think about, let alone witness with her own two eyes. But the shock didn’t end there. Coming in behind them, wearing next to nothing was Anko. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, with the ends sticking out around her head like a halo. 

When Hana didn’t keep up with Asuma, he stopped and turned to face her, plucking the cigar from his lips in disappointment. The sound of Anko’s hand coming down on Hana’s bare ass was loud enough that Sakura could hear it from behind the window and it snapped her out of her daze.

She quickly stepped back and away from the window, pointing to the glass as she turned to Kakashi. “Can they see me?”

He shook his head but didn’t offer her anything in the way of an answer or an explanation. His eyes were focused on her with an intensity that she couldn’t deal with at that moment. Not when there were other things she was far too curious about. She looked back at the window and crossed her arms over her chest, watching Asuma pull Hana to the leather sofa.

He lowered himself down on the cushion and curled his hand beneath her chin, lifting her head like she were a dog. He said something, but it was too low for Sakura to hear and she frowned, leaning closer. With a chuckle, Asuma sat back on the sofa and took another drag of his cigar as Hana reached for the button of his pants.

Wait.

He was  _ married! _

Sakura faced Kakashi again and opened her mouth, before promptly closing it again. She had no idea what to say. What  _ could _ she say at this moment? This was all too surreal.

His chuckle pulled her from her thoughts and she narrowed his eyes as he shook his head and moved closer to the window. He leaned his shoulder against the frame of it and smiled at her. “I told you.”

“Isn’t he married to Kurenai?” She pointed her thumb toward the window, not wanting to take another look. It felt wrong to watch a married man receive a blow job from someone that wasn’t his wife. But from her peripheral vision, she could see Hana’s head bobbing up and down with Anko coaching her. 

“Kurenai knows exactly where Asuma is and what he’s doing.”

Hesitantly, Sakura let her curiosity get the best of her and she turned back to the glass, her eyes going wide at the sight. The up and down movement of Hana’s head slowed for just a moment and Anko delivered another smack to her ass with a paddle this time. She raised up and laughed at Hana’s sudden shriek around Asuma’s cock.

Toward the back of the room, the other door opened and Sakura moved closer to the glass in surprise. Shizune was making her way into the room, naked as well. She didn’t come all the way to the sofa with the other three and instead stopped beneath a metal bar running along the ceiling. Iruka was close behind, fully clothed but carrying a bundle of red ropes in his arms. The two of them shared a quick laugh and a chaste kiss before Shizune lifted her arms and let him loop the rope around her wrists. A moment later, he secured her to the bar over their head and Sakura shook her head.

“When you said intense conversations, I thought you meant abortion debates or something.”

Again, Kakashi chuckled and pushed away from the wall, taking his place at her side. Together, they stood in the darkness of their room, watching through the window. A thousand questions raced like lightning through her head and none of them slowed down enough for her to focus on long enough to ask.

“You’re sure they can’t see us?”

“No, it’s just a mirror to them.”

Asuma stood from the couch and lifted Hana easily from the floor. He carried her to the chair at the other side of the room and Sakura followed with her eyes. The woman was lowered on her belly onto a middle cushion and her hands and legs were spread and secured to the posts, leaving her completely exposed. Which was what he intended because as soon as the buckles were in place around her ankles, Asuma took his place at her backside.

He entered her easily and Anko stepped up to Hana’s mouth, slowly pushing a bright, blue dildo into her mouth. The slap of Asuma’s hand on her ass startled Sakura and she shook her head, turning away. Her cheeks were red hot and she wanted to fan herself but couldn’t. Not when Kakashi followed her every move with his eyes.

She took a deep breath and tried to imagine how such a nice, funny guy like Asuma was also  _ this _ person. It’s not like she’d never heard of people being into this sort of thing, but she thought they were leather-clad bikers or something. Not cute little married couples who taught at the University. Or sweet biologists. Or feisty chemist--well, Anko did kind of fit the stereotype, but Sakura shook her head and whirled on her heel to face Kakashi.

He was much closer to her now and she flinched in surprise. The backs of her heels were already against the sofas and she had nowhere to go. Kakashi tilted his head to the side and reached up, gently brushing the hair away from her shoulder. When his eyes met hers, she felt her breath leave her lungs in a quick breath. 

“Is it too much?”

Sakura swallowed hard and glanced around his shoulder to the window. It was both too much and not at the same time. She couldn’t explain it. A part of her wanted to laugh about it all and go home, but another part was far too curious about what the hell this all was to leave just yet. She pursed her lips and met his gaze once more, wishing it didn’t have such an effect on her. The sharp sound of skin slapping skin and the look of pain on Hana’s face made Sakura flinch.

“I’m not sure,” she answered truthfully. “Is it...consensual?” 

“Yes. Nothing happens here without everyone’s full consent. Hana may be in pain and she may look like she’s not enjoying herself, but she is.”

Sakura looked once more to the window and heard another slap of the paddle on Hana’s ass. Asuma was thrusting into her with so much force that even Sakura’s thighs were clenching tightly. She didn’t want to admit it, but a part of her was starting to feel a bit turned on by watching it all. It was like being a fly on the wall in a porno. 

Pursing her lips, she looked back up to Kakashi with heat flushing across her face. Did he show her this because he wanted to...with her? The thought was making the sweat start to bead up along her back and she was thankful she’d applied that third swipe of deodorant now. She didn’t know how to tell him that she wasn’t exactly skilled for this. Sure, she wasn’t a virgin but compared to what Hana was currently going through...Sakura was a nun.

She swallowed and tried to snatch another question out of the rush of them through her head. “You all just...go back to being friends after this?”

“We’re friends before, after, and during. We trust each other, which is why we can openly explore like this.”

_ We _ . The sound of him saying it sent another wave of heat through her and she reached up to push her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “And you’re into this too?”

His grin shouldn’t have made her react like this. She felt her knees starting to tremble and her feet were sweating in her boots. God, why had she listened to Ino? She should have worn sandals!

When he spoke up, his voice was a bit deeper, breathier. “Somewhat. Currently, I act as a moderator. Make sure everyone’s playing fairly and no one is pushed beyond their limitations. But with the right person…”

Butterflies exploded through her midsection so suddenly she put her hand to her stomach and had to swallow back the urge to whimper. She had another question now, but it’s one she didn’t know if she was ready to hear the answer to.

“Is that why you brought me?”

Kakashi’s laugh wasn’t exactly what she wanted to hear and she frowned. “I brought you here to meet Shizune, remember?” Around his shoulder, Sakura’s eyes flickered to the naked woman who was dangling from the ceiling, red rope tied tightly around her body, keeping her suspended in the air. Iruka had stopped tying her up and now held a riding crop in his hand. He traced the line between her legs with a grin that lit Sakura’s insides and she watched the loop of leather move back and forth. “She was a lot like you when she first met us. Shy, reserved, unsure of herself…She’s opened up a lot over the past few years—” Kakashi moved around behind Sakura and leaned down to whisper into her ear as he passed. “Literally and figuratively.”

A shiver rolled down Sakura’s spine and she had to take a moment to steady her breath. When she opened her eyes, Kakashi was moving to the wall beside the sofas where a cabinet was hanging on the wall. The door opened smoothly and Sakura turned to get a better look at the shelves inside. There were a few boxes set up, bottles and things hidden in plastic wrappers, and she arched an eyebrow as he reached for one of them.

He popped open the plastic easily and dumped it into a trash bin in the corner of the room. When he turned around, Sakura could see a black strip of fabric in his hands and she blinked up at his face. He stepped up to her once again and turned her toward the window before moving behind her. She stared out at the glass, watching Asuma pull out of Hana and switch places with Anko. He positioned himself at her mouth and before he slid into it, the strip of fabric covered Sakura’s eyes.

“For beginners, wearing a blindfold can help ease you into things. It can offer you a sense of anonymity.”

Sakura reached up to touch the blindfold and let out a scoff. “It isn't very anonymous if everyone can immediately tell who I am.”

She felt Kakashi’s breath against her ear and her entire body tensed up. His hands fell to her shoulders and he gently pulled her hair away from her neck. “It isn’t for them…it’s for you. Behind that mask, you can be anyone you want to be. You can be shy and sweet. Or, you could be someone openly exploring their deepest, darkest fantasies. But the question is...” 

Every trace of him left her body and her lips parted in a silent gasp of surprise. She blinked behind the blindfold but it was no use. Not even the faint light from the window was able to penetrate the cloth. Her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry lips and the feel of him leaning back toward her made her start.

This time, his breath was on her neck and she felt a tremble from head to toe as he spoke. “Who do you want to be, Sakura?”

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	6. Captivated

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"You haven't said much," Kakashi's voice was quiet but Sakura felt it echo through her head. She looked down at her hands folded in her lap and bit her lip, wondering how long she could remain quiet. They hadn't stayed long at Jiraiya's house after he had introduced her to the darker side of the get-together and she hadn't complained much.

Not that she wasn't still curious but Sakura wasn't sure how much more she could take. It was a bit of sensory overload and she was thankful that Kakashi could sense that she needed a break and suggested he take her home.

The drive back into Konoha was a quiet one, with his music kept low, but still loud enough to fill the silence between them. Even if she did want to speak, she wasn't sure what she would say. There was still a flurry of questions swirling through her head but she wasn't sure how to ask them...or if she even wanted to know the answers.

When she felt she had been quiet for a bit too long, she shook the hair from her face and glanced at him. He looked different in the darkness of the car--somehow, less intimidating than he had been in the afternoon light. Sakura took a breath and looked away from him, knowing if she didn't, she'd get too distracted by his face to respond.

"I suppose," she started, letting out a deep breath. "I'm still trying to process it all."

He nodded and turned the car to the left, heading closer to the university. The sight of the University’s baseball fields and gym on the right side of the road made Sakura sink a bit in the seat. She wasn't sure if she was ready for the night to end just yet. Not without a few explanations first anyway.

When he spoke again, she turned to look at him. "I apologize for throwing you right in the mix of things without a proper explanation."

"It's alright." She smiled and caught him glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. "I did say I could handle it."  
  


"True. So, are you handling it?"

The dorm building was growing ever closer. She could see the top of the building stretching above the trees and knew in a few minutes, he'd be pulling back into the parking lot. She sat back in the seat and shrugged her shoulder. "I'm not going to tell anyone if that's what you're getting at."

He laughed and the sound of it surprised Sakura. Of course, the way it made her feel surprised her more. She didn't expect the flutter of butterflies to be so rampant against the inside of her stomach at just hearing him laugh. It made the corner of her lips lift in a smile and she watched him turn to glance at her.

"That's good to know. Not everyone would be accepting of this kind of thing." Much too soon, he was steering the car back into the parking lot and Sakura bit the inside of her lip. She waited for him to pull into a space near the back of the lot, far from any other cars, and he shifted into park before looking at her once more. There was still a smile on his face, but with his eyes narrowed, she could tell he was trying to figure her out. "You look like you have a lot of questions."

"Oh, I do," she said with a laugh.

"Ask away. I admire your curiosity."

Despite hearing that, the words still stuck to the back of her throat and she stared down at her fingers fumbling nervously with the hem of her skirt. She tried to pick a question out of the hundreds in her head that she wanted to ask. It was hard to decide which one she wanted to ask the most, let along which one she was prepared to know the answer to. Sakura lifted her head again and met his eyes.

"It's all consensual?"

"Every bit of it."

"And afterward," she started, hating the nervousness of her voice. "You just go back to being friends? I mean, how do you tie someone up or spank them as just friends?"

Again, Kakashi's laugh sent a flutter through her stomach and she bit the inside of her cheek to distract her from how much she liked the sound of it. "Well," he said as he raked his fingers through his hair, only managing to make it look more handsomely disheveled in the process. "That's a bit complicated. But the easy answer is; everyone in that room was once too shy or too scared to express themselves openly and sexually. They opened up and explored and discovered together. It's easier to face the unknown when you have others that you trust doing it with you."

Sakura made a hum in the back of her throat as she considered his answer. It made sense on the surface, but she didn't see how jealousy didn't play a bigger part than he was letting on. Surely, a married couple like Asuma and Kurenai didn't like to see their partner having sex with someone else...while she was very pregnant!

Turning to Kakashi, she tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "You said Kurenai knew what Asuma was doing."

"She does," he said with a nod. "Their love isn't threatened by what goes on in that room."

That didn't seem like such a simple answer, but it was apparently the only one she was going to get at the moment. Pushing it to the back of her head, she folded her arms over her chest and asked the next question that popped into the front of her head. "Does everyone have a role to play?"

"Usually."

"Do you?"

Slowly, his eyebrow lifted into an arch and the same corner of his lips curled into a small, coy smile. "Yes."

"Which is..." Sakura waved her hand to gesture for him to keep going and when he let out another chuckle that told her he wasn't going to give her a straight answer to this one, she scowled.

"As I said, at the moment I'm mostly there to look after everyone and make sure they're playing fairly."

It was such a non-answer and Sakura stared at him with pursed lips, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she let out a huff of annoyance and crossed her arms over her chest as he grinned at her. She stayed quiet for a moment before her curiosity got the best of her. She looked at him and tilted her head to the side. "You talk about it like you're not actually a part of it."

His brows furrowed in a frown. "What do you mean?"

"You said, at the moment you're not involved. Why aren't you at the moment?"

For just a brief moment, something flashed across his face, something that relaxed his frown yet left him staring just a bit too intensely at her. She was afraid she'd crossed a line he didn't want her to cross and she glanced down at the cupholders between their seats. Before an apology could form on her tongue, Kakashi spoke up.

"I do get involved, but only when I have someone to care about who is a willing participant as well. I get more out of it if...if I have someone, in particular, to play with." The quiet tone of his voice lifted her head to look at him once more and the look in his eyes stole her breath away. Tension unfurled between them like smoke and she found it a bit hard to concentrate on anything. Somehow, she managed to find the words her brain was too frazzled to focus on.

"And...do you have someone like that currently?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed just slightly and she noticed the slight curl of his lips as he stared at her. The tension was so thick and suffocating between them and all she could think about was how badly she wanted him to kiss her at that moment. His gaze dropped to her lips, lingering there long enough to make her breath still in her throat before he met Sakura's eyes once more.

"I'm interested in someone, but she's seeing someone else."

Her entire body prickled with fear and excitement and something electric that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It left her breath shuddering and she was surprised by the fact that she was actually swooning from his words. Had she ever swooned before? She blinked as Kakashi reached up and raked his hands back through his hair, ducking down to stare up at the dorm stretching above them.

"Listen--" No...she didn't like his tone. It sounded final as if their conversation was drawing to an end. She frowned and watched him turn to face her once more. "The dinner and the after-party aren't mutually exclusive. You're more than welcome to join us next time and skip out after dessert. No one is going to pressure you to stay. We may tease you, but it's all in good fun."

She nodded, though her head was still mourning the fact that their sexual tension-filled conversation was over. Even without the promise of a sexy after-party, there was no way she was going to turn down an invitation to have dinner with his friends a second time. Besides, any chance to be with him, she was going to take.

That thought made her frown and she wanted to smack herself in the forehead. How awful she was being! She was dating someone!

With another nod, Sakura folded her hands in her lap and glanced down at them. "I'd like that. Dinner at least." After a moment, she added, "though I don't know how I'm going to look Asuma in the eyes again."

Kakashi laughed and her body prepared for the onslaught of butterflies that usually accompanied the sound, but the warmth of his hand on her knee made everything inside her seize up. This was a far more intimate touch than the brief times he had put a hand to her back to guide her through Jiraiya's house or down the halls of the University. This was different.

"Trust me," he said, snapping her out of her momentary freak-out. "That was tame for Asuma."

"That's not very reassuring," she said with a nervous laugh hanging on the end of her words. If she didn't end this conversation now, she was going to do something stupid. Especially since his hand was still on her knee. "But I should probably go so you can get back to observe. They might be missing you."

As much as she didn't want it to, his hand fell away and she was finally able to breathe properly once again. The fog of desire was starting to part inside her head and she could see clearly. It was a good thing too, because any longer, and she would have been ready to forget about Sasuke and jump into Kakashi's lap right there in the middle of the parking lot.

He nodded and gave her a smile that curled her toes. "Oh, I'm sure they're plenty preoccupied without me. Should I tell them you'll be back next time?"

"Yeah," she said, genuinely wanting there to be a next time. At least for dinner, anyway. With a mischievous smirk, Sakura looked at him. "But don't think I didn't notice you avoiding my question earlier."

"And what question was that?"

His eyes met hers and she was starting to lose count of how easily he could take her breath away. She wet her lips, expecting his gaze to follow the dart of her tongue but he held it steady and continued to stare at her, waiting for her answer. Sakura swallowed. "About what your role is in all of this. I'm not buying that story that you're just a moderator."

"Maybe next time I'll tell you."

The tone of his voice was warm and velvety and if she didn't get out of this car right now, she wasn't going to be able to stop herself. Nodding, she reached for the door handle, fumbling slightly in the dark until her fingers hooked over the slick metal. She pulled it open and was thankful that the lights overhead didn't turn on. She didn't want him to see how flushed she was at the moment.

They didn't say goodbye to one another, but that wasn't surprising. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would tell him to kiss her. Sakura let his car door shut behind her and she didn't allow herself to look back at him until she had reached the steps leading up to the front patio of her building. A girl sat at one of the tables, smoking a cigarette while tapping her thumbs rapidly over her phone. Her earbuds were in and she didn't seem to notice Sakura's presence, thankfully.

There was a buzz from her purse and Sakura dipped her hand inside it, taking a moment to enjoy the fresh air before she raced up to her room to ease the ache that had been sitting between her thighs all night. She turned her phone over in her hand and pressed the button to light the screen. The text was from a number she didn't recognize and the message made her eyes widen.

_Or if you want, I can show you._

Sakura whirled around to face Kakashi's car but it was already moving toward the exit of the parking lot. It took a left and she stared at the brake lights until it disappeared down the street, heading in the same direction they had taken earlier that evening. She blinked and looked back down at the screen of her phone, her thumb hovering over the message.

.

.

For the hundredth time in the past half hour, Sakura's phone was blowing up with messages. And unfortunately, it wasn't the one she'd been expecting for the past three days. All weekend she had been impatiently waiting for a response from the one person who seemed to be ignoring her and now that it was Sunday night with no reply, she was starting to give up on the hope that it was him.

The group chat with her friends, however, was alive and kicking and she was starting to get annoyed by the constant buzz of her phone. She pressed the button on the side of her phone to silence the quiet dings and sat back in her chair. She'd been trying to work on assignments all day, even though her mind was only interested in drifting back to what she had witnessed Thursday night.

It did her no good to dwell on it. Kakashi had somewhat answered the most pressing questions that she had wanted to know at that moment, but she couldn't deny her curiosity much longer.

After being unsuccessful in her dorm, she'd resorted to settling down in one of the workrooms in the library, hoping that the change of scenery would help her focus on her school work. But even without the usual distractions, she was still having trouble focusing on the sociology paper she was supposed to be working on. It was due in two days and she'd only managed to write a rough draft.

With a sigh at the sound of another round of buzzes, Sakura sat back in her chair and snatched her phone off the table. She scrolled through a few of the messages from her friends and rolled her eyes. It seemed as though Ino and Shikamaru were in the heat of another argument with Tenten and Kiba acting as moderators.

This was a bi-weekly occurrence, one that Sakura usually liked to be front row and center for, but she wasn't in the mood to listen to her best friend argue about whether a hot dog was a sandwich or not. She silenced her phone and tossed it back onto the table before glancing at the paper she was only halfway finished with.

Sakura slid her laptop closer to her, positioned her fingers over the keys, but didn't start typing her thoughts on the topic of the effects of advertisement on society. It was too late anyway. She'd been distracted and now her mind no longer wanted to focus on her assignments.

Her eyes cut back to her phone lying face down beside her laptop and the recalled the words Kakashi had said to her while they sat in the darkness of his car last Thursday night. '_ I get more out of it if...if I have someone, in particular, to play with'. _Just what in the world does he enjoy 'playing'?

Several times, Sakura tapped her fingers lightly over the keys of her laptop and chewed her lower lip. She pulled up a new tab on the browser and began typing before her brain caught up to what she was doing and stopped her. With a blink of her eyes, the search page filled with different websites, all with the letters 'BDSM' in common.

Warmth flooded her face almost instantly and she glanced around at the second floor of the University's library. There were only a handful of other students sitting around the area of study rooms, and none seemed to be paying her a bit of attention. Still, she pulled her laptop closer to the edge of the table and sat up to block the screen with her body.

The top link was the Wikipedia article on BDSM and she quickly clicked it open. Of course, as soon as she did, there was a picture to the far right side of the page with a nude woman wearing a collar and a chain. With another quick glance around the room, Sakura skimmed the block of text. It was mostly explaining what she already knew about the subject.

The words _bondage and discipline _jumped out at her, accompanied by a picture of a woman being tied with a rope, and Sakura couldn't help recall the way Shizune had been bound in the same way. Kakashi hadn't seemed too interested in tying anyone up, though he had put a blindfold over Sakura's eyes.

She felt the flush of her cheeks spread down to her neck and she quickly slid her jacket off her body. If she was going to be looking at something like this, then she was going to have to shed some clothes. Or, as much as she could get away with in public anyway. She pulled the screen toward her once more and crossed her legs beneath the table before reading on with the article.

She scrolled down a bit more on the page and found a list. _ Types of Play. _If the beginning of the article had her blushing, this list was going to make her sweat. Not because it was particularly scandalous, but because her mind immediately conjured possibilities of Kakashi being into each one of them.

Tickle torture, predicament bondage, suspension, flogging, animal play? It all sounded so...intense. Could Kakashi be into any of these things? He didn't make it seem like he was into anything like animal play, but then again, he did have a wolf head tattoo. Was that some sort of hint?

Sakura shook her head and scrolled on. She didn't want to fill her head with unnecessary worries and doubts. As bizarre as it had been to see the inner workings of a sex dungeon up close and personal, she just couldn't bring herself to believe someone like Kakashi could be into anything remotely close to genital torture.

Soon, she saw another link, one that didn't immediately make her wrinkle her nose in objection. _ Dominance and Submission_. She hovered the pointer over it for a moment and chewed the inside of her cheek. For some reason, seeing this phrase made a different kind of heat flush across her.

Maybe it was the fact that it was a bit more familiar to her, or the fact that it definitely seemed to click into place with the puzzle of Kakashi's personality, she couldn't be too sure. Either way, she clicked the link and skimmed a few sentences. The article branched into different types of each role and Sakura found herself leaning closer to the screen as she read each 'dominant' style. She tried to fit Kakashi into each of them, but couldn't seem to get him right.

He didn't seem..._ mean _enough for most of them. Then again, she only knew him as Kakashi, and not as a master. The thought sent another wave of warmth across her face and Sakura shook her head. She clicked out of the article and quickly saved the paper she had been working on before closing the laptop.

She reached for her phone, turning it over to check once more for a response from that unsaved number, and once she found only a plethora of messages from the group chat, she sighed. There was no saving her concentration tonight. Between her friend's petty arguments and the myriad of BDSM terms circling through her head, she needed a break.

She was quick to pack up her things, shoving her jacket down into her backpack along with her books and laptop. As her thoughts stayed jumbled, half of them trying to steer her back toward her sociology assignment while the rest refused to budge away from the kinkier topics, Sakura made her way out of the library and out into the fresh air to make the trek back to her dorm building. It was unfortunate that the library and her room were on opposite sides of the campus, but maybe the walk would do her some good.

Her head was a bit foggy from all of this.

She rolled her eyes at herself. _ A bit foggy _was the understatement of the year. This whole situation had thrown her for a loop like she'd never felt before. The moment Kakashi had slipped that blindfold over her eyes, her outlook on things had changed forever. And it was so bizarre to think that something like that _could _change her mindset.

It was just sex.

But even though she'd told herself that over and over, she didn't believe it. How could it just be sex? It seemed so much..._ more_.

Across the lawn, between the commons building and the psychology department, Sakura spotted a pair of people stepping out onto the sidewalk. Her steps slowed as she spied the box of books in the man's arms and the rather large belly of the woman at his side. And when her gaze moved up to their faces, recognizing them instantly as two of the people she'd met at the dinner party last Thursday, Sakura's feet came to a complete stop and her eyes went wide.

There was no other path for her to take, nowhere for her to duck into and hide while Asuma and his wife started walking directly toward her. It took them only a few seconds to notice her and by the time they were both smiling in recognition, it was too late. She would have to speak to them.

She would have to look the man in his eyes after watching him fuck another person that was not his wife.

Kurenai lifted a hand and waved to her, her smile weary but friendly as Sakura forced her legs to move once more. "Sakura, how nice to see you again."

Asuma adjusted the box of books in his arms and grinned. God, did they know that Kakashi had shown Sakura their after-dinner activities? Surely they wouldn't bring it up. Sakura forced a smile, hoping her nervousness didn't show through it, and nodded to the couple. "You too," she managed to croak. Before they could comment on her shyness, she pointed to the box in Asuma's arms. "You moving out?"

"Oh," Kurenai sighed and put a hand to her belly, patting it gently. "I'm officially on maternity leave. Though I'm sure I could have stuck it out a week or so longer."

"Hush. You heard the doctor." Her husband rolled his eyes playfully and adjusted the box once more. From here, Sakura could see it was packed with books and binders and looked rather heavy. "You’re going to spend your last month with your feet up while I wait on your every beck and call.”

Sakura watched her roll her eyes and cross her arms over her chest. It was nice seeing them so loving toward one another, especially after what she had seen Asuma do. Perhaps Kakashi had been telling the truth about them. If Kurenai did know what was going on, she didn't seem to be upset or strange about it at all. What had Kakashi said, after all? Their love wasn't affected by what went on in that house.

With a smile, Sakura adjusted the straps of her backpack and shrugged a shoulder. "I think it would be nice to sit back and relax for a few weeks."

"Right?" Asuma turned to his wife with a grin and nodded toward the box he was carrying for her. "I don't see why you needed your entire collection of books, but I'm about to drop them."

"You go on ahead," Kurenai said, stepping closer to Sakura so he could pass. "I'll waddle there eventually."

"Yes, ma'am." He turned to give Sakura wink. "Nice to see you again."

"You too."

He walked across the lawn toward the parking lot situated behind the psychology department and in his absence, Sakura was well aware of the silence stretching between her and Kurenai. Could she feel how awkward Sakura was being at that moment? Oh, god...was she going to be angry about what she'd seen last week?

When she turned her gaze back to Kurenai, there was a strange look in her eyes. It was soft but narrowed just a bit as if she were trying to read through Sakura's nervousness.

"Kakashi told me he took you on the extended tour last week." Oh, god. All the words froze in Sakura's throat as her eyes widened in surprise. She sputtered as she tried to respond, but Kurenai waved her off with a soft chuckle. "Don't worry. Asuma doesn't know but I don't think he would care if you did anyway. He's quite the exhibitionist."

She turned to watch her husband reach their sedan and as he wedged the box into the backseat, her smile widened. Sakura cleared her throat and knew that the blush of her face reached from her hairline to her chin. “I wasn’t...I mean, I didn’t look at him--Not that he isn’t handsome, he is. Just not my type but I didn’t see anything, I swear.”

God, why couldn't she just shut up? She was a terrible liar.

"Sakura, it's fine," Kurenai laughed. "I know it was probably a shock and I’m not trying to embarrass you by bringing it up. I just want you to know that we all really liked your company and I hope Hatake didn’t scare you off by letting you in on the secret too soon. He tends to get ahead of himself."

Sakura nodded and started to respond, but was stopped by Kurenai reaching out toward her. She curled a tendril of pink hair around her middle finger and smiled softly, her eyes lifting back to meet Sakura's once again.

"Especially when he's captivated with someone."

She dropped her hand and stepped back, the smile on her face never falling away, and all coherent thoughts quickly flew out of Sakura's head. Those words echoed over and over in her head. Captivated? He was captivated with her? What did that mean? Before she could ask, Kurenai stepped off the sidewalk and glanced back at Sakura.

"It was good to see you again. I hope you'll join us for dinner next week." Again, she put a hand to her swollen belly. "It'll probably be my last dinner before my due date."

Sakura nodded and swallowed the croak in the back of her throat. "I'll be there," she managed to say. "It takes a lot to scare me away."

"Good." With that, the woman turned and walked--though it was actually more like a waddler--toward the car waiting for her in the parking lot. Sakura stood where she was on the sidewalk and watched her get into the passenger side before Asuma slowly drove away.

In their absence, Sakura blinked herself out of the daze she'd found herself in and turned back toward the direction of her dorm. It was impossible to keep her mind off of what Kurenai had said to her. In one sentence, she'd sliced through the jumbled mess of thoughts in her head, but left her reeling even more.

_ Especially when he's captivated with someone. _

He was captivated with her? What did that even mean? Did that mean he liked her?

Again, her face was flushed with warmth and she brought her hand up to her face, pressing the coolness of her fingers against her cheeks. It wasn't much further before she found her way back to her dorm. Even though the straps of her backpack were starting to dig into her shoulders, she didn't immediately take the elevator up to her floor.

She'd been neglecting her mailbox for the past few weeks and figured there would be a stack of things for her to sift through. She moved around a few people and headed into the small area where the student mailboxes were located. When she'd been assigned one her first day at the university, she was a bit annoyed to have one on the very bottom of the wall. Which was one of the reasons why she never checked her mail.

With a quick twist of her key, she opened the door and pulled out the envelopes. There were two from her mother and one from the university, along with a magazine and some coupons for restaurants near the college. As Sakura stood, she stared down at the one addressed to her bearing the Konoha University logo on the front.

Her stomach dropped to the floor and she turned to the small table set up where there were boxes and other envelopes they could use. She set her mail down and tore open the letter from the university.

'Dear Ms. Haruno.

According to our records, you enrolled in 0 hours in your course of study for the fall semester. As you may know, it is mandatory for students who receive scholarships to stay within the guidelines. Failure to do so will result in the loss of their scholarship. From this date forward, you will be placed on academic probation and will only be back in good standing after enrolling in 6 or more hours for the spring semester.

Thank you,

Konoha University'

Sakura read the entire thing three times and each time, the feeling in the pit of her stomach gnawed harder and harder. She had never been on academic probation for anything in her life, had never even received a grade below a B. Her GPA was consistently above average. And just because she needed a single semester to figure her life out, they do this to her?

She felt sick and angry and defeated. Everything she had worked for could be lost all because she was at a crossroads in her life. Why were they punishing her for this? She crumpled the letter up and stuffed it into her pocket, not wanting to even look at it anymore. As if she didn’t have enough on her mind already, they go and do this?

For the second time in a single night, all of the mess and confusion in her head were abruptly interrupted and this time, it didn’t leave her blushing.

* * *


	7. Show Don't Tell

.

.

* * *

It was late--far too late to start grading the papers Kakashi had been putting off for the past few days, but he was nothing if not a procrastinator. With a sigh, he closed his laptop and pulled the stack of papers toward him. He’d been telling himself for the past two semesters that this was the last time he would be anyone’s TA.

And of course, each time, Jiraiya would remind him how much fun they had through the months and he would find himself back in the cramped office across the hall from his mentor. It was more like a closet, really, barely big enough for his desk and a bookshelf with room to walk between the two. 

He didn’t know why he stuck around. It wasn’t a very good job. Sure, it paid his bills and put food on the table, but Kakashi had been wanting more for a while now. Why did he let himself stick around this place? Aside from a few perks, was it really worth it?

The top paper on the stack, the one he had deliberately put first because he was almost too impatient to wait to read it, made the corner of his lips lift in a smirk. Her name was at the top of the page, right in the center and he pulled her assignment closer to him. Everything was perfectly spaced and typed, not that he expected any different.

Half the reason he was so surprised by her first assignment was because of how neat and well written it was, grammatically. Not many people, especially outside of this major, put that much effort into their assignments. And she was a rare major indeed. Not many Biology students walked through these doors, nor did they write half as well as she did. 

Kakashi shook her paper and held it up so he could see it better in the light and read the words she had written, not able to stop himself from wondering if she had written them with him in mind. He shook the thought from his head and started the paragraph-long assignment. 

_ The velvet fuzz of the peach was warm and she brought it to her face, breathing in the sweet scent. Her eyes closed as she held the breath as long as she could to savor it. With a smile, she opened her mouth and took a bite of the fruit, giggling at the fuzz tickling her bottom lip. She brought a hand up to her chin to catch the juice dripping from her mouth and closed her eyes. It was like tasting summer on her tongue and with each bite, she enjoyed it more and more. _

He read it twice, just to be sure he wasn’t dreaming. She had to know what she was doing when writing this assignment. There was no way she had written something like this, knowing he was possibly reading it, and not intended to make it so...erotic. Then again, upon his second read through, it was just enough to toe the line, but not cross it. 

Kakashi scoffed and ran a hand over his chin. If--and it was a big if no matter how much he wanted it to be true--_ if _ she had written something like this on purpose, knowing he would be the one to read it, then she was definitely better at this game than he had previously thought. Of course, he could hear a familiar voice of reason in his mind, usually taking on the sound of his more patient friends like Iruka or Tenzo, telling him to slow down. There was no point in getting ahead of himself with her. 

She had made it abundantly clear that she was seeing someone else. Not that that had ever stopped him before, but he was trying to approach this differently this time, slowly and without his head getting clouded. Sakura was different than the other girls he had set his sights on in the past. She was new to this, that much was clear. But there was something else too. Something that he couldn't put his finger on while at the same time, he couldn't get it out of his head either. 

Grabbing one of the pens sitting in the cup on the corner of his desk, he pulled her paper toward him and set about grading it. She had done a good job, enough to pass the assignment with flying colors, though she still needed a bit of work to smooth things out. Which, he was more than willing to teach her how to do that.

Once he had circled her errors, he moved to the bottom of the page and quickly wrote a comment that he hoped would stir her imagination as much as her words had stirred his.

* * *

'_ Why am I suddenly craving a peach?' _

Sakura had repeated those seven words in her head all week since receiving her graded assignment back from Jiraiya. He hadn't commented on it, hadn't made any mention of their papers all week so she was almost certain that he hadn't even read them. It had been Kakashi. He had read her words, and judging by the red marks, had graded it a bit more harshly than the first assignment. 

But the note he had left her gave her a smile that she couldn't get rid of even by Friday. She had sat in the back of the classroom, trying to glance at the other papers of the students around her, looking for any similar comment or note he had left them. She didn't want to assume it was only her receiving them. No one else seemed to get a red, scribbled comment at the bottom of their paper from the handsome teaching assistant. 

Just her. 

Sakura looked at her paper sitting beside her laptop on her desk as she slipped her feet into a pair of sandals. Every time she thought she had gotten over it, that it wasn't that big of a deal, she'd glance at his words and find herself smiling all over again. The past week had been torture, not seeing him at all. 

All she had was his note and the memories of their last conversation to fuel her through the days. And they were a welcome distraction from the letter she'd received from the university. That was the last thing she wanted to think about. 

So when Ino had asked her to come to the party tonight at one of the fraternities, Sakura had accepted the offer immediately. Everyone was going anyway. She wasn't about to be left out just because she was feeling bummed about her scholarship situation...and the fact that she hadn't seen Kakashi in a week. Even just a glance at him from across the hall would have been alright with her. 

Unfortunately, he was keeping his distance and she was trying hard not to assume that was a bad thing. 

With a final glance to the note, her cheeks still flaring with heat at the sight of it days later, Sakura snatched her purse from the hook beside her door and walked out of her dorm room. Ino and Ten agreed to meet her on the patio and she was beyond ready to start the weekend. While it was usually her policy to get her assignments and studying finished before having fun, she was letting that rule slack a bit this weekend. 

She needed fun more than good grades. 

Ino was dressed in a tight, fuchsia top that laced down the front with equally tight jeans sitting low on her hips and Sakura whistled low at the sight of her. "Damn, who are you dressed like that for?"

She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and rolled her eyes playfully. "I always dress like this for _myself. _ You think a guy deserves to think he's the reason for this?"

Tenten leaned her head back and howled with laughter. Luckily, she was dressed more relaxed and Sakura didn't feel the need to change into something better. "Oh, yeah? That why you kept saying how you hope Sai will come along tonight?" 

She dodged away from Ino's hand and spun behind Sakura, laughing the whole way. Together, the three of them made their way across campus to the side streets where the fraternity houses were located. There was already a crowd mingling in the front yard and the music was loud enough that Sakura could hear it from the sidewalk across the street. She frowned and looked up at the streamers hanging from the trees, the trash littered around the side of the house and the drunk guy puking in the bushes. 

It was such a different scene than what she had been introduced to with Kakashi last week. She wrinkled her nose and stepped over a crumpled cup lying forgotten in the grass. Her friends hurried up the lawn and the steps to the front door and Sakura had no choice but to follow them. Besides, she had been the one needing a night to forget about everything and just party. 

And party she did. For the next two hours, she and her friends drank far too much alcohol, played too many rounds of beer pong to keep track of, and she, Tenten, and Ino were just finishing up a round of dancing when she stumbled away from the group. Sweat was making her top cling to her back and the last cup of cranberry vodka Ino had made her was more vodka than cranberry. She nearly tripped over a pair of legs but was caught by Tenten. 

"Where're you goin'?" She asked, words slurring. 

"I need some fresh air!" 

Sakura turned to the kitchen, where her male friends were still positioned around a long table. Naruto and Sasuke at one end with Choji and Shikamaru at the other. She looked at her boyfriend, or the guy she was dating, whatever he was to her and moved toward him. He stepped back, tossed a ping-pong ball in the air, and Sakura watched it soar across the table before it sank into one of the remaining cups. Cheers went up and he turned to give his partner a high five. When he spotted her standing beside him, Sasuke draped an arm over her shoulder. 

He smelled like beer and a bit like sweat, but she could find his cologne hiding beneath it all. She smiled and nuzzled her face into his chest. "How long are you going to play this?"

Sasuke kept his eyes on his opponents who were standing across the kitchen, discussing strategy before making their shots. "We're on a winning streak. Can't quit now."

Not the response she was wanting. Even with her hand stroking the length of his back through his shirt, it didn't seem like Sasuke was getting the hint that she was _ just _tipsy enough to forget her inhibitions. She pursed her lips but shook the hair from her face and peered up at him with a smile. "Well, will you let me know when you get done? I'd like to spend some time together that doesn't involve beer or ping pong balls." 

"Sure thing." He peeled his arm away from her shoulders and held his hands over the cups in front of him to distract Choji as he lined up his shot. "You think you can beat us with _that _form? You're going down!" 

Naruto joined in on the trash talk, bumping Sakura to the side with his shoulder. She stumbled away and scowled to the drunken blond. It hurt how easily she was cast aside but the last thing she wanted was to show that she was hurt. She brushed past the table and moved to the open doors leading to the back yard where her two friends had already transitioned to. 

Ino leaned against the railing of the back steps and turned away from the crowd inside as she adjusted the cups of her bra with a grunt. "Ugh, I hate this bra!"

"Why wear it?"

"It's the only one that makes my tits look this perky." 

Tenten rolled her eyes and turned to smile up at Sakura. She nodded her chin toward the kitchen inside the house. "Couldn't get loverboy away from his game?"

"They're on a _ winning streak_," Sakura said in a mocking tone. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched her best friend reach into her top and pull one of her breasts up higher in the cup of her bra. Ino sighed in relief and straightened, turning back to face Sakura with a lopsided smile. 

"Go back in there and show him a different kind of winning streak, if you know what I mean." 

Sakura rolled her eyes and fanned her face. If Sasuke would just _let _her show him what she wanted, she was sure he would enjoy it. But knowing he wasn't a sexual person, he might not. It was beyond frustrating and she honestly didn't know what to do about their situation. She was trying hard not to let it become a big deal to her, but when she had been up close and very personal with some extremely sexual things recently, she was having a hard time thinking of much else. 

And that was on top of her other constant worries and thoughts. She was so pent up and horny, she almost wanted to throw caution to the wind and ravage Sasuke anyway...or someone who was willing. 

Through her inebriation, her thoughts brought up memories of Kakashi and the note he had left at the bottom of her assignment. He was craving peaches after reading what she had written and she was craving..._ something_. She didn't exactly want to define what that something is yet.

Especially when she didn't know what in the world his fetish could possibly be. Another wave of heat hit her face and she glanced over her shoulder to the kitchen inside. Naruto and Sasuke were both cheering and it looked like their winning streak wouldn't be ending just yet. 

Sakura bit her bottom lip and turned to her friends, glancing between them as they discussed something she had been ignoring unintentionally. Once there was a decent lull in the conversation, she leaned closer to her two friends and narrowed her eyes. "What do you two know about--" she almost couldn't bring herself to say it. "--_ BDSM. _"

Both of them whirled around to face her and she snapped her mouth shut quickly. Regret was already beginning to sink through her but it was too late. It was Ino, of course, who spoke up first. "Why on earth do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious! Does everything have to have some meaning behind it?"

"When it comes from you? Usually, yes." Ino crossed her arms over her chest and glanced past Sakura. Behind her, the boys began to cheer once more and the blonde rolled her eyes. "God, please don't tell me Sasuke is into that weird shit."

She hoped the flush of her face would be mistaken for all of the alcohol she had drunk and not because Ino had called it something weird. It wasn't _weird. _ Was it? Sakura shook the question out of her head and waved a hand. "No, he isn't. Forget I said anything." 

"What? You and ole Sauce already need to spice up the bedroom? You've only been dating for what, a month or two?" 

Yep, she should have never opened her mouth. Now both of her friends would be teasing her relentlessly for the rest of the night. Sakura let out a heavy sigh of annoyance and glared at the two girls. "He's actually not a very sexual person."

Tenten and Ino both shared a look. Not just any look, but one that said they were both thinking very similar things and Sakura felt her eyes narrow as she glared between them. "What?" 

"Nothing," Ten was quick to say, turning away to stare down into her beer bottle. 

Across from her, Ino had fallen quiet and Sakura turned to her. She reached out and shoved a palm into her shoulder, ignoring her hiss of surprise. "_ What_? You both shared a look and I want to know what it meant!"

They both knew there was nothing that would satisfy Sakura except the truth and Ino sighed, letting her head fall back in defeat. She gestured into the house and dropped her voice lower. "You said he isn't a very sexual person but…" They shared another glance before she continued. "We heard otherwise."

Sakura blinked. She was either too tipsy to understand her correctly, or she had heard what she said perfectly clearly. They had heard _otherwise_? What did that even mean? She shook her head. "What do you mean? What did you hear?"

Tenten swallowed her mouthful of beer and winced. "Well, he was caught in the library...going down on a girl."

"And in the gym after hours...but she was going down on him."

"Oh. And there was that bathroom incident last semester with those two girls, but that honestly could just be rumors. You know how--hey, where are you going? Sakura!" 

Ino tried to reach for her, tried to grab her to keep her from storming back inside, but Sakura was quick to turn on her heel. She marched back into the kitchen and bumped past Choji. From across the table, Naruto was stepping back to make his shot but Sakura kept her narrowed gaze on his partner. Sasuke took a sip from one of the cups, grinning around the rim and completely oblivious to the girl storming toward him. 

The ball arced and soared toward the opposite side of the table and Sakura reached out with lightning speed, snatching it right out of the air. Both Naruto and Sasuke cried out and there was a sudden flurry of howling laughter and shouting. "What the hell, Sakura? We were winning!" 

She ignored Naruto as he turned to yell drunkenly in her face. She shoved the ping pong ball against his chest and snatched the front of Sasuke's shirt. It wrinkled in her fist and she was vaguely aware that he was shouting at her but she didn't care at that moment. What she wanted was more important than fucking beer pong. 

With Sasuke in tow, she pulled him away from the kitchen and into the first door she found which happened to be the laundry room. It was dark inside, but the light from the kitchen was enough to let her see inside long enough to push him against the washing machine. Behind them, the room full of guys were whistling and cheering Sasuke on. She ignored them and kicked the door shut behind her just as he spoke.

"Sakura, what the fu--" 

His words were cut off by her lips pressing against his and for just a split second, Sakura thought he would kiss her back. He curled his hands around her arms and held her just briefly before pushing her away. She was glad it was dark in the narrow room. If she had to see the look on his face, she might have thrown up on him. 

"What is this? What are you doing?" 

"I'm kissing you." The sound of her voice was so pathetic even to her own ears. She winced. "I want you, Sasuke. I want to fuck you and I want you to fuck me."

"You're drunk." The tone of his voice cut through her like a knife, almost like he was disgusted with her. He was still holding her away from him.

"I'm not too drunk that I don't know what I want. I've wanted you for so long." 

"I told you, I'm just not a--"

Sakura rolled her eyes and wrenched her arms free of his grasp. It was too late to stop the words from tumbling from her mouth. After weeks of pent up energy, it was all coming out in the worst way possible "Yeah, I know. You told me you're just not a sexual person. But you were last semester, weren't you? When you were caught in the library, and the gym, and-and _wherever _else! You can go down on other girls but you can't go down on me or even _ kiss _ me at a party?"

The tension in the tiny space was so thick it was smothering and she pulled at the neck of her T-shirt. He was quiet, but she could feel the anger and annoyance wafting off of him and she immediately regretted ever coming along to this stupid party. She heard him push away from the washing machine and felt him brush past her. Before he opened the door, he turned back to her and spoke quietly. 

"I'm not talking about this with you right now, Sakura. Call me tomorrow when you sober up."

In a flash, the door opened and light poured in around her. She stared at his back as he walked away from the laundry room, moving back to the kitchen. He ignored the taunts from his friends and after a few seconds, the sounds of beer pong returned. Tears burned the back of her eyes and she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Being buried beneath the frat house would have been a better outcome than having to walk out in front of everyone after making such a scene. 

She crossed her arms over her chest and knew it was going to be like ripping a bandaid off. The quicker she did it, the better it would be. She took a deep breath and stormed out of the laundry room, not taking a left to find her friends once more. She turned right and headed to the front door, wanting nothing more than to just go back to her dorm room and crawl into bed to sleep her humiliation away. 

Halfway to the front door, she heard her name being called by Ino. She didn't stop. 

"Sakura!" Tenten, who was not wearing heels and therefore much faster, reached out and grabbed Sakura by the elbow, stopping her on the lawn outside. "What the fuck was that?"

"It was nothing. Just another failed attempt to get my boyfriend--or whatever he is--to fuck me."

Their eyes went wide and a few people who were lingering around the front lawn turned to stare at her. She wanted to be embarrassed, but what was the point now? Every one of her friends had heard her outburst in the closet, she was almost certain. There was nothing left to hide now. All she could do was hope people were too drunk to remember it tomorrow. 

"I'm going home."

"Well, at least wait for us to get our stuff. We'll walk--" Before Ino could finish her sentence, Sakura was already shaking her head.

"I just want to be alone."

It wasn't a total lie. She did want to be alone, but not exactly for the reasons Ino and Tenten would assume. Sure, she was humiliated in front of her friends and a crowd of people she didn't know, which was bad enough to make her want to go home. She just wanted to do something that she didn't need an audience for.

After a few minutes of reassuring her friends she would be alright, Sakura crossed the street and headed back to the campus. It was close to midnight, about half an hour til and she bit her lip in thought. Was it too late to call him? Did she care? 

The scene with Sasuke had sobered her up, but not quite enough to convince herself not to do something this bold. By the time she'd made it back to the university and crossed onto the Art Department's lawn, she was pulling her cellphone out of her pocket. She found a bench next to some god-awful, student-made sculpture that had been sitting outside for the past decade and swiped her thumb across the screen to pull up her text messages. His message was three down, still waiting for the response to the question she'd asked him last weekend. 

'How did you get my number?' 

Well, since he wasn't answering her texts, she would just have to call him. Her fingers moved before her brain could talk her out of it and by the time she put the phone to her ear, it was ringing and she was too late. She closed her eyes tightly. What if he was asleep? Oh, god, what if he was _with _someone? 

Two rings passed and she was beginning to panic. By the third, she started to take the phone away from her ear to hang up, but the sound of his voice made her freeze.

"Well, hello." 

How was it possible to sound _that _good on the phone? It could have been the alcohol still coursing through her, or it could have been his voice, she didn't know for sure, but suddenly she was sweating. Sakura opened her mouth, shut it, and then finally found the courage to actually speak. 

"How did you get my number?"

He laughed, the sound a bit raspy and deep and ugh, she had to put a hand to her forehead to keep her focused. 

"Is this what you think about at midnight on a Friday night?"

"It's not midnight quite yet and I was curious." 

He chuckled again and she could hear him shift in his chair. She was suddenly so damn curious about his life. Did he have a house or an apartment? Did he live alone? Surely, if he was with someone, he wouldn’t have answered her call. 

“Well, you know what they say about curiosity.”

“I’m serious.”

She had hoped he couldn’t hear the slight slur of her words, but he was annoyingly astute.

“Ms. Haruno, have you been drinking?” Sakura could almost see the crooked smile that was evident in his tone and she scowled.

“Isn’t that what you told me to do? Experience things instead of wasting my life planning them out?”

“Yes,” he said, the tone of his voice dropping deeper. “But I was hoping you knew that I wanted you to experience those things with _ me _.”

She didn’t know how it was possible for her blood to freeze and boil at the same time but here she was, sitting on this bench next to the ugly statue, completely at a loss for words. With a quick glance around to make sure no one was near enough to hear this conversation, she tucked her legs beneath her and tried to think of something clever and flirty to say back. When she drew a blank, Kakashi let out another soft laugh.

“Did I scare you off?”

“No,” Sakura said quickly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You just caught me off guard. You’re very…” The right word escaped her at that moment and she waved a hand in the air, trying to find it.

“Charming? Mysterious? Devilishly handsome?”

“I was going to say arrogant...or irritating.” 

Every time he laughed, she felt warmer and warmer and she had to bite her lip hard to keep her mind off of the dirty things that wanted to pop up at the sound. “I suppose I deserve that.”

“You do. You keep avoiding my questions.”

“Which questions?”

Sakura rolled her eyes and switched the phone to her other ear. “All of them! You have this distinct way of avoiding them by making me too flustered to think straight.”

She had been wrong before. His laugh _ wasn’t _the hottest thing about his voice. Kakashi hummed, a deep and throaty sound that teased all of her heightened hormones, and she stood to her feet. If he was going to keep turning her on, then she had to get back to her dorm. She didn’t want to add to her embarrassing night by having someone hear her letting out a moan. 

“How about,” he started. “I agree to answer one question truthfully, with no more attempts to fluster you.”

“And what do I give you in return?”

A part of her expected to hear that laugh again, but he remained quiet and Sakura’s feet slowed to a stop on the sidewalk. She looked up at her building looming across the campus just behind the Psychology Department. 

“That’s a dangerous proposition, Sakura. Tonight, consider this a free pass.”

“And what about next time?” She asked, feeling her blood pumping the right way finally. Maybe she could stop being flustered and start being as flirty as he was being. She’d love to leave him stammering just once. 

“Is that your one question?”

“No. I’m not wasting it on that.”

“Good girl.”

The toe of her sandal caught on a crack in the sidewalk and she stumbled slightly, though most of it was from what he had said. Was it supposed to turn her on this much to hear him call her that? She swallowed hard and picked up the pace.

“So, what’ll it be tonight, then?” 

She wasn’t far from her dorm. If she was going to continue on like this, then she wanted to be in her room, in her bed, maybe in the dark where she could keep all of her focus on his voice and not have to worry about how turned on she was getting from it. “Actually, can I call you right back? I’m about to be back at my dorm and I don’t want anyone to hear.”

This time he laughed, as she expected. “Of course.”

“Right, okay. Give me five minutes.”

The call ended and Sakura raced up the concrete steps leading to the dorm. A few people were mingling outside on the patio, like usual, and she ignored the cloud of cigarette smoke she had to run through to get to the door. By the time she made it to the elevator, she was breathing a bit heavier. She stood back and watched the numbers above the doors as she tapped her thumb into the up button. 

Two minutes had passed before she made it to her floor and she can’t remember ever walking so fast in her life. She swiped her badge over the door handle and slipped inside, kicking her shoes off while unbuttoning her shorts. She pulled her bra off and tossed it into the wardrobe before snatching her pajama pants off the back of the chair. 

By the time she fell back onto her bed and tapped on his phone number, exactly five minutes had passed. He answered on the first ring, making her stomach twist with knots. 

“You’re good. Five minutes exactly.”

She swooned--_ actually swooned_. He was watching the time? A smile stretched across her face and she laid back against her pillows. “What can I say? I’ve got good time management skills.” 

“Did you think of what question you wanted to ask me?”

“Can I ask two?” She bit her lip as he laughed. 

“Mmm, that wasn’t part of the deal, Ms. Haruno.”

“I know. I’ll answer a question for you in return.”

His sigh was playful and it made her squirm a bit deeper into her sheets. She reached over and turned her overhead light off, leaving on just the lamp and string of lights along the ceiling. “Fine,” he said with a huff, though she could almost hear his smile. “But I’m going to make it a hard one.”

She decided to ignore his use of the word _hard _. “First one, how did you get my phone number?”

“I work for the university and have access to student’s profiles. You provided your cellphone number and allowed it to be displayed on your profile. I just took advantage of that. Does it bother you?”

“Is that the question you want to ask me?”

Kakashi responded with a growl that made her close her eyes. She was vaguely aware that not even half an hour ago, she had been standing in a laundry closet with tears burning her eyes, but she ignored it when he spoke again. “You’re being a brat. But I like it.”

“Good. Now, what question do you really want to ask me?”

From his end of the call, she can hear him move around and a click--perhaps a lamp? He let out another small sigh as he thought up a question. She hoped for an easy one but knew better than to expect that from him. 

“Were you turned on by what I showed you last week?”

Her eyes snapped open. She’d been expecting a curveball, but this was something else. Should she tell him the truth? There didn’t seem to be any other option for her at this point. Swallowing, she raked a hand through her hair and blinked up at the ceiling. “Honestly, yes. But I don’t know if it was because of what I saw or if it was…”

Alarms were ringing in her head, forcing her mouth shut around that last word. 

“Or if it was _ what _?”

_ You_. She wanted to say but refused. He didn’t need to know she was that powerless to his charms just yet. Sakura pressed her thighs together and rolled onto her side, trying to keep her hands above her waist. At least for now. “I don’t know,” she finally answered. “I think I’m still processing it. And I’ve been thinking about some of the things you told me.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

She clucked her tongue. “Isn’t it my turn to ask you something?”

Another sigh. “I suppose. What else would you like to know?”

Her pulse picked up speed and she pursed her lips in a quick thought. She had to make this one good. “What are you into? Like, you avoided answering when I asked you what role you liked to play. But I looked into things and I want to know what it is exactly."

“You want to hear my fetishes?”

"I guess...I'm not sure. Hypothetically, if I were to join in next time, what would you want me to do?" Oh, this question was dangerous and she knew it. She was skating on thin ice but she was so damn curious and so turned on now, it was shocking. She closed her eyes and hoped his answer wasn't anything crazy or disgusting. She didn't want to pee on anyone or have anyone pee on her. He was way too cute to be into that!   
  


“Hypothetically,” he said slowly, his voice going deeper once more and hitting that spot inside her ear that nearly made her eyes roll back in her head. “If you were to join in next time, I would want to dominate you.”  
  


All of the air in her lungs froze and she stared at her desk with wide eyes. Even if she did have something to say at that moment, she wouldn’t have been able to form a single word. Her voice was trapped at the back of her throat. Luckily, Kakashi had more to say.  
  


"I would want you to do everything I tell you to do. I would want you on your knees, begging for me to fuck you. I would want to tease you until you're panting and writhing and absolutely dripping. And if you've been good, and have done everything I tell you, I'll let you come."   
  


“Oh.” It was all she could think to say. What normal person could think straight after hearing that? Her entire body felt electric, like a low current was surging through her. She pressed a hand to her cheek, thankful for the coolness of her fingers against her heated face.  
  


Kakashi laughed, the sound so different from the tone he had just spoken to her with. “Too much?”  
  


“No.” Sakura blinked a few times to sort through her thoughts. “I-I was just caught off guard.”  
  


"Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to pressure you into anything. It isn't fun for me unless you give your consent. So, until you do, I'll continue to be my charmingly irritating self." He was giving her a way out of the conversation and she appreciated it but didn’t need it. There was no way in hell, no matter how shy she felt, that she was going to stop this now. In fact, she had many more questions to ask him.  
  


“Why me?” It was what had been in the back of her mind since day one. He could clearly have any woman on campus and yet...he had set his sights on her. She wasn’t anything special, just an average, ordinary twenty-year-old who happened to take a creative writing class at random.   
  


“Hmm,” Kakashi started, making her hold her breath in anticipation of his answer. “I think that might be a question for another time. Unless you want to give me something in return.”  
  


“Like what?”  
  


“When you figure it out, let me know.”  
  


Sakura sat up in her bed and leaned onto one palm. “You’re being irritating again.”  
  


This time, his laugh left her annoyed. After building her up like this, he was just going to go back to flirting. “Just part of my charm. Now, if you’d like for me to come to your dorm and pick you up to continue this, I’d be happy to answer a number of questions.” In an instant, the air was sucked from her lungs and she sat still, listening to his proposition. “Otherwise, we should probably pause this conversation.”  
  


“Oh.” Again, it was all she could think to say. As much as she wanted to continue this in person like he offered, she didn’t know if that was such a good idea. Taking things too far on the phone was different. Would she be able to keep control of herself if he was actually here?  
  


She knew the answer to that.  
  


“Are you still there?” Oh, he had that tone again, the one that made her imagination run absolutely wild. Was this how he sounded when he was in his dominant role? Sakura bit her bottom lip and focused on the pinch of pain so she wouldn’t do something stupid.  
  


“Yes.”  
  


“Do you want to stop our conversation?”  
  


“No.”  
  


“Do you want me to come pick you up?”  
  


No. That was absurd. It was after midnight and she was seeing someone else. She _ couldn’t _ do this. She wouldn’t.  
  


“Yes.”  
  


“I can be there in ten minutes.”   
  


For several seconds, she stared at her desk, at the paper still sitting next to her laptop with the words he had written to her. She licked her suddenly dry lips and nodded to herself. “I’ll be waiting in the lobby.”  
  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write :)


	8. After Midnight

.

.

* * *

What was she thinking?

What on _ earth _ had she been thinking?

She couldn’t go out at midnight with a man who tempted her to do things she never thought she would even _ want _ to do! It was too much. She had to call him back and cancel. Sakura grabbed her cell phone and swiped the screen to the recent calls. There was his number at the top, taunting her. It was like she was staring right into Kakashi’s face and he knew she wouldn’t be able to call him to cancel.

With a sigh, she rolled her eyes at herself and abandoned her cell phone on the bed while she pulled on the same pair of shorts she had stripped off earlier. She decided against wearing the same T-shirt since it probably smelled like strongly mixed drinks and sweat and instead chose a well-worn, but clean Konoha University sweatshirt. 

Ten minutes...He would be here so soon, too soon for her to have an actual meltdown like she was needing. Why had she done this to herself? Maybe she was a masochist. The thought made her cheeks flush with warmth and she quickly pushed her feet back into her sandals before snatching her phone from the bed. 

At her door, she cast a quick glance around her room and wondered if she needed anything aside from her phone and credit card. She put them both in her pocket and tried not to think about the fact that she had no idea where he was taking her. If she had been smart, she would have asked him before hanging up the phone. But honestly, how was she supposed to think straight when she knew he would be here shortly to pick her up?

The last time she had been in his presence had been hard enough to keep her hands to herself and that was when there was still so much mystery surrounding him. Well, there was still mystery but at least she had one question solved. Of course, it had only opened up so many more.

Sakura rolled her eyes and hurried out of her dorm. Her neighbor to the left was making her way in from the bathrooms with a towel on her head and around her chest and she eyed Sakura with a quick glance. It was a look she knew, one that said, ‘why is she heading out so late?’ God, what if she thought Sakura was heading to a booty call?

Was she?

Ducking her head, she continued on to the elevator and hurried inside. Once the doors were sliding shut behind her, Sakura pulled her phone out and quickly typed a message to Ino, not to tell her what was happening, but to make sure that she wouldn’t be bumping into her friends or acquaintances who felt the need to check on her after her outburst. She sent the message, slid her phone back into her pocket and wondered how the hell it could feel like so much time had passed since she had shoved Sasuke in that closet. It was strange how talking to Kakashi for just a short amount of time had flipped a switch on her moods.

Instead of hurt and angry, she was nervous and blushing...and horny. 

Sakura pressed her hand against her forehead and sighed. She had been horny for weeks now and every time she interacted with Kakashi, it only got worse. Tonight was going to be bad. This was a mistake and she knew it. She knew it from the moment she told him she would be waiting in the lobby and still, she still didn’t stop it.

The doors slid open and Sakura headed out into the lobby of the dorm. Her eyes swept to the small television area with couches and chairs set up. Two girls were sitting there in their pajamas, watching a horror movie while paying more attention to their phones than the half-naked woman screaming on the screen. They didn’t even look up to glance her way and Sakura moved quietly to the wall of windows where the double doors were located. 

There was no black car waiting at the curb like she half expected and she pulled her phone back out to check the time. It had only been seven minutes since they had ended their call. Surely it would take him some time to get dressed and drive over, though she had no idea how close he lived. 

While holding her phone and staring out into the parking lot, it vibrated and Sakura nearly dropped it. She scrambled to open the screen and saw a response from Ino. Everyone was still at the party, including Sasuke, and though Ino had said she and Tenten missed her, Sakura didn’t text back.

She couldn’t.

She was suddenly frozen to the spot, staring at the familiar car’s headlights that cut across the parking lot. His car slowed to a stop at the curb and for a moment that stretched on far too long, she could only stare. This was it. She could either text him and tell him she changed her mind, or she could stop letting her fear get the best of her and actually do something daring for a change. 

Sakura pushed the front doors open and stepped out into the fresh air. There was a breeze that blew her hair across her face and she reached up to pull a few strands away from the corner of her lips where they stuck. Her legs, despite feeling like jello, brought her around to the passenger side door and she dropped breathlessly into the seat.

The smell of him was everywhere all at once and she inhaled the scent to lock it away into her memories. Even with the lights from the parking lot, the interior of his car was dark and only the glow of the digital numbers across the dashboard gave her enough light to see him. Her jaw wanted to drop, but she clamped her teeth together to keep it from hanging open.

He looked good. God, that was an understatement, but she was at a loss of words. The sleeves of his dark shirt were pushed up to his elbows and the jeans he wore were relaxed and frayed at the knees. That alone was enough to make a woman drool, but his hair was a bit damp and just messy enough that Sakura’s fingers twitched with the need to run her fingers through it. 

“You hungry?”

The beer munchies had hit her half an hour ago and she had planned to give herself an orgasm and have a snack before falling asleep. But maybe those things weren’t off the table for her after the turn of events. She tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded, pushing those delicious ideas to the back of her mind. 

“Yeah, I am. But it’s kind of late. Will anything be open?”

Kakashi scoffed and eased off the brake, steering the car back to the street that ran beside her dorm building. “It’s a Friday night in a college town. I’m sure we’ll be able to find something.”

It occurred to her a mile down the road that he may have been planning to take her back to his place and she felt another shockwave of panic surge through her. She calmed down once he drove toward the downtown area of the city where the bars and clubs would be open until three in the morning. The sidewalks were crowded with people older than her, possibly graduates who stuck around the city after college and she frowned when Kakashi pulled the car into a space directly in front of one of the bars. 

She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Bar food?”

“God no.” Was the only response he offered her before turning the key and stepping out of the car. She frowned again and followed suit, turning to watch him from over the top of the roof of his sedan. 

“I doubt we’ll have a choice of much else. Is there anything aside from bars around here?”

They met at the front of the car and stepped onto the sidewalk together. Kakashi laughed softly and shook his head before looking at her. “Are you always like this? Loosen up a bit, Sakura. Go with the flow.”

She had a response on her tongue, something sarcastic and witty, but her brain turned to mush as he lifted an arm and draped it over her shoulder. The warmth from his body at her side was almost euphoric and Sakura swallowed hard, searching for her ability to speak once more.

“I just like to know where I’m being taken by a strange man at midnight.”

“Oh, I’m a strange man, now? And here I was considering us friends.”

“You know what I mean,” she said absently while staring down at his hand draped over her shoulder, his fingers inches from a rather delicate area on her chest. All of a sudden, she was very aware of how many people were around them. What if someone recognized her and told her friends or Sasuke she was walking around at midnight with a strange, yet extremely handsome, man? It would be humiliating having to explain things to them.

Kakashi sighed and dropped his arm away from her shoulder and she almost protested out loud. The press of his hand to the small of her back shut her up quickly and he steered her around the corner, down a one-way street that was reserved for more of the quiet establishments. 

"Fine," Kakashi said with a playfully disappointed tone. "Since you insist on spoiling my fun, I'm taking you there."

Sakura followed the line of his finger pointing to a well-lit, quaint looking bistro sandwiched between a wine-tasting place and a jewelry store that were both closed for the night. Her eyes lifted to the bright green letters on the sign above the outdoor patio. '_ Might Gai's Mighty Sandwiches _'. Her eyebrow arched in question and she glanced up at him as he continued to guide her forward, the hand on her back warm even through the material of her sweater.

"You got me out of bed for sandwiches?"

The roll of his eyes was hard to miss and he led her across the street to the white awning that stretched out over the outdoor tables on the patio. "Not just any sandwich. The best in Konoha," he said with a lop-sided grin as he pulled open the door for her. She stepped beneath his arm but didn't quite make her way inside just yet. Kakashi tipped his head toward her and spoke low and right at her ear, making her shiver. "But if you'd like, I could always try to get you back _ into _ bed after we eat."

She knew it was coming, that first flirtation that would set the butterflies off inside her stomach, but she was still caught off guard. And when he winked at her, her knees wobbled as she somehow found the strength to walk into the sandwich shop. Before she could even try to think of something clever in response, a loud, boisterous voice from the back cut through her thoughts.

"Kakashi Hatake!" Sakura whipped her head to the front where a man stood, leaning his gloved hands down on the countertop with a deep frown on his face. "How dare you show your face in here..."

What the--

Glancing between the two men, Sakura was left confused. Especially since Kakashi was grinning from ear to ear after being questioned by the man. It wasn't long, however, before his frown stretched into a grin and he spread his arms open wide. "How dare you show your face in here after weeks of your absence! You too _ cool _ to eat my food, eh?"

"Oh, please," Kakashi said, waving a hand to him as he leaned against the curved glass of the deli cabinet. Inside, there was an assortment of meats, ranging from beef to shrimp, and Sakura leaned closer to peer down into it. Everything looked clean, but she didn't usually make a habit of eating places she wasn't sure about. "You know I can't stay away for long. I've been busy."

"Too busy to drop by and see your eternal rival?" The man clucked his tongue with a disappointed shake of his head before turning to Sakura. His grin shifted into a smile that was sly and assuming. It made her cheeks burn bright. "And you've brought a..._ friend _?"

His tone carried exactly what assumptions he was making with that smile and Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest. If she thought he would say something about it, she was mistaken. "What do you recommend for a first-time visit, Gai?"

"Anything you see on the menu," he laughed, pointing to the black letterboard hanging above his head. He put his hands onto the top of the tall meat cabinet and leaned closer to Sakura with a wink. "I hope you're not as picky as this one."

"I'm not picky." Kakashi sniffed, his head tilted back to read the menu. "I just prefer certain _ tastes _."

God, was that meant to be sexual? If not, then she was seriously too pent up. She should have masturbated before meeting him tonight. Maybe having an orgasm would have cleared some space in her head for actual thoughts instead of those that sought out anything sexual in his words.

"Then may I suggest the fried shrimp sando? It's been a popular item lately."

Kakashi turned to her and raised an eyebrow, pulling her from her thoughts and she hoped he couldn't tell how nervous--or how horny--she was. She did her best to put on a smile of approval, not even thinking the suggestion over too thoroughly. With a nod, Kakashi turned back to his friend and held up two fingers. "Make it a double."

"Coming right up!" Gai spun on his heel and moved into the kitchen beyond a stainless steel swinging door and emerged behind a long, rectangular window behind the counter. He busied himself with preparing their order and Kakashi moved further down to a cooler standing beside the register. He pulled out two bottles of water and pointed to a wall of potato chip bags, raising an eyebrow as he looked back at Sakura.

She shook her head and he returned to the register, turning to face the window to the kitchen. "Why are you here so late, anyway? Shouldn't you hire some teenager to work these late shifts?"

"If I did that, when would I ever see you?" Gai called out over his shoulder. He looked at Sakura and gestured toward the other man with the knife he was using. "He's almost entirely nocturnal these days. Don't know how he wakes up for class."

"I usually don't."

Sakura ducked her head to hide her giggle and she tapped her fingernails over the Formica countertop. This wasn't exactly what she had in mind when he offered to come pick her up, but she wasn't complaining. It was nice seeing him be so normal for once. So often he was this intimidating presence around her and now...She risked a glance up at him and wished she hadn't.

The look in his eyes mirrored the one he had given her that night in his car after she had asked him a barrage of questions. The look that made her breath still in her lungs and her stomach drop. Self-conscious thoughts sprang to mind and she couldn't help fearing that she had something on her face, or her makeup was smudged.

"Wanna eat outside?" He asked in a soft voice as if he were hiding it from the man preparing their food. Judging by their friendship, she half expected Gai to join them, but hopefully, if they went to the patio, he would take the hint. She found the ability to nod just as Gai backed his way out of the kitchen door and presented them with two, plastic baskets of food.

The sandwiches looked and smelled delicious; she just hoped she'd be able to eat now that her stomach was full of butterflies. Kakashi reached for his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans and Sakura couldn't help glancing down to his backside. Gail's voice snapped both of their attention to him. When she looked at him behind the counter, he was shaking his head.

"For an old friend, no charge."

"You sure?" Kakashi asked, but he was already reaching for the baskets of food, abandoning the search for his wallet. "I appreciate it. Nothing tastes better than a free meal."

"On the condition that you come and see me more often!" Gai laughed and turned to wipe the counters as the two of them made their way out onto the patio.

The tables were small and iron, each with only two or three chairs around them. Above them, string lights were hanging and crisscrossing beneath the awning covering the area, giving off a soft, almost intimate glow. Kakashi sat down at a table in the far corner where a small, fake tree offered a little coverage from the foot traffic coming from the surrounding bars. He handed Sakura her bottle of water as she sat across from him.

They ate in silence, occasionally looking up to watch a drunken couple stumbling by or a car pass on the street. By the time she had eaten just half of her sandwich, Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to finish it. Not because it wasn't good--it was actually delicious--but she was still so nervous to be around him, to be this close to him after what they had talked about less than an hour ago.

As she wiped her mouth, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and there was no mistaking the feeling of being watched. Her eyes lifted and she had to swallow the urge to whimper. He was staring at her with such a hunger that she knew that if there wasn't a table between them at that moment, he would have kissed her. She almost wanted to shove it out of the way and let him at that moment.

The sound of drunken laughter snatched her from the moment and she turned in the direction the noise was coming from. A group of guys, older than her by the looks of them, stumbled up the one-way street. One was singing--or trying to--while the others fell over themselves with laughter.

None of them noticed Kakashi or Sakura sitting on the patio, and by the time they had passed and their voices faded away, she returned her attention back to the man across from her. He was picking up his basket of food and pointed to hers. "Finished?"

How could he go so quickly from looking as though he wanted to devour her to acting so nonchalant? Was it all in her head? It was entirely possible and she tried not to frown as she nodded and handed him the basket of food.

"I'll be right back."

Sakura watched him take their things back inside the shop. Through the windows, she spied Kakashi speaking to Gai once more, hopefully to tell him goodbye so they could leave and be alone once again. She sighed and looked down at her hands in her lap, hating that her mind immediately slips into the gutter when she was with Kakashi. Sure, she wanted him--god, she wanted him so bad--but she couldn't let herself.

Even though she and Sasuke had fought, they weren't done with one another and she did care about his feelings. She would be hurt if the tables were turned and she knew she was going to have to either cool it with Kakashi or break things off with Sasuke. She didn't know which one she wanted to do, which only made her feel more guilt.

Was she a bad person for even being here right now? Nothing had happened, but he had been flirty and that _look_. If he looked at her again like that, in the darkness of his car, far from anyone's eyes, she wasn't sure she would be strong enough to stop herself.

The sound of the door opening across the patio startled her from her thoughts and she turned to see Kakashi making his way toward her. The muscles in her throat tightened and she gripped the hem of her shorts in her fists. He sat back down in the seat across from her and smiled. The corners of his eyes wrinkled slightly and he crossed his arms over his chest as he sat back in the chair.

"So," he started, making her swallow down her nervousness. "What exactly made you want to call me at nearly midnight on a Friday night?"

"Should I not have?"

He shrugged a shoulder and looked out to the street. "I never said that, but you'd obviously been drinking. You're young, in college, and since you were away from your dorm, I take it you weren't sitting down to enjoy the night with a good book."

Apparently, he had figured her out quite easily. She didn't know how she felt about being such an open book to him. She lifted her legs and slid her hands beneath her thighs to keep them from fidgeting. "How observant of you, Mr. Hatake." When he grinned again--and her butterflies flared back to life--Sakura sighed. "I was at a frat party actually. But I wasn't having much fun."

"Ah, and why is that?"

"Just not my particular scene, you know? Besides, I was curious as to how you got my phone number." Thank god her brain was able to form coherent sentences because she was far too busy staring at his lips. They looked soft, yet firm, like he knew exactly what to do with them.

Kakashi sat up and put his elbows down on the table in front of him, dazzling her with another smile that made her legs feel wobbly. "Well, I'm glad you called. I'm already having a better time than I would have by myself."

"I almost hung up before you answered, you know." She didn't know why she said it. Just seconds ago, she had been praising her brain for having the focus to speak coherently, and now it betrays her with this.

"Oh yeah?"

Sakura ducked her head and let out a nervous laugh. "I thought you might have had someone over...like a date or something."

He didn't respond and she watched out of her peripherals as he took his water bottle and sipped at it. For a few seconds, she didn't know whether to change the subject or just let him figure out something to talk about. Her brain had reached its quota for the night. It would only be sputtering mindlessly to anything he said.

Once she had gathered up enough courage, she lifted her head to meet his gaze and licked her lips. For the second time that night, she seriously hoped she didn't have any food stuck to her face. "What?"

Kakashi searched her eyes for a moment before glancing down at her lips and she felt the need to lick them again. Before she could, he met her gaze once more and lifted an eyebrow. "You were awfully talkative on the phone earlier and now you're being shy again."

"Am I? I didn't mean to be. It's just...we're in public."

Surely he didn't want to talk about the dynamics of a dominant and submissive relationship so openly. Behind closed doors, on the phone was one thing, but his very loud, energetic friend was only a few steps away and if he witnessed her blushing and squirming from being too turned on, she might die of embarrassment.

Kakashi stood to his feet, making her tilt her head back to look up at him and she blinked in surprise. "C'mon," he said.

"Where are we going?"

She wanted him to tell her he was taking her to his place, that he would give her a little hands-on demonstration to the type of things he was into, while at the same time, the thought of being in his car with him again, in such close proximity to one another, made her regret eating as much as she had. Still, she stood and cursed her legs for turning into jello.

"Let's take a walk and chat. It's such a nice night and I'm in no rush." He turned to glance back at her as she followed him out of the patio area. "Are you?"

"No."

"Good. I like to take my time."

Okay, now that was _definitely _sexual. Even if he hadn't winked, or smirked at her when he said it. He may not have been blatant, but he knew what he was doing to her and Sakura hated how much she liked it. They crossed the street but instead of turning back toward the main strip where he had parked his car, he went the opposite direction.

Sakura knew there was a small park ahead and the city library on the other side, but she rarely walked through the city, and never at this time of night. She followed him to the left and walked around a telephone pole covered in a multitude of flyers. One advertised an upcoming theater production that the university puts on every year and she wondered if it was something Kakashi and his cultured friends would attend. She could easily picture them all there together, enjoying each other’s company before moving on to...other things.

_ Let's take a walk and chat _...He was being awfully quiet for someone who wanted to chat and she was starting to feel the pressure of their silence. Folding her arms over her chest, Sakura glanced up at him and figured it was up to her to speak first.

"So, what do you want to chat about?" It was just as awkward as she had feared it would be and she winced at herself. What she wouldn't give to be able to be breezy and cool.

Kakashi looked down at her with an arch to his eyebrow and a curious look on his face. "Whatever pops up, I suppose. Do you always have to have a plan for things?"

"No," she was quick to say, though she knew it was a blatant lie. Her life without a plan, even for the next semester of college, made her feel chaotic and derailed. Plans and structures were what kept her held together. Well, usually. With Kakashi, it was different. He was impossible to pin down or figure out and while that usually turned her off, she was drawn to him. With a sigh, she shook the hair from her face. "Okay, maybe I have a habit of scheduling things and sticking to them. And I _ might _have a problem letting things go."

She was expecting him to give her his usual sarcastic replies, or tease her somehow, but he didn't. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and took a deep breath. "I get that. I used to be the same way, possibly worse."

It was the first thing he had ever revealed about himself. Well...aside from the particular fetish he preferred. But this was definitely the first personal thing he had told her, and it felt like so much and nothing all at the same time. Her curiosity about him was off the charts now and she looked up at him, trying to read him the way he so easily read her.

There was nothing in his face--passive as always--that told her much and she faced the front again. She'd been right about one thing though. He was leading them both toward the park near the library. In the center, a gaudy, outdated fountain sprayed jets of water into a shallow pool full of coins. No one had ever deemed it a wishing well, but the passerbys had turned it into one anyway.

They crossed from the sidewalk onto the grass and here, the enormous oak trees blocked out the light from the street behind them. It wasn't exactly pitch dark, but it was dark enough that they could get away with things without being immediately seen. Sakura tucked her hair behind her ears and spied a few teenagers skateboarding in the library parking lot before she turned to face Kakashi. She was starting to feel a little less shy now that they were relatively alone.

"So, what changed?"

If she had been hoping to get a little more out of him, she was let down once he laughed and came to a stop, facing her. "I realized that life was much more fun when you don't know what's around the next corner."

"That doesn't sound fun to me. That sounds like a nightmare for my anxiety."

He folded his arms over his chest and the look he gave her made her feel as if she were standing in front of a disappointed professor or something. Her stomach tightened and she quickly looked down to the purple nail polish on her toes. It wasn't her color, but of course, she had let Ino talk her into something different.

The touch of Kakashi's fingers beneath her chin surprised her but she let him tilt her head up to look at him. He had moved close enough to steal her breath away and she bit the inside of her lip to keep her focused on her sensible side and not the side of her that wanted to reach out and touch him as well. She kept her hands at her sides, clenched into fists to keep herself under control. It was difficult though...especially with the way he was looking at her.

"What happened to the girl I was talking to on the phone earlier? She seemed so much more sure of herself."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "It's different in person."

"How so?" He dropped his fingers from her chin and she struggled not to look back down at her feet. She concentrated on staring at the collar of his shirt, but the stretch of his neck, just above the material, looked so kissable, she had to look away.

"You're very intimidating in person."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him grin and it burned her up inside to know he was pleased with knowing she was intimidated by him. How could someone so insufferable be so irresistible?

"So you keep telling me. Does it bother you enough to want to stay away from me?"

"No." It wasn't a lie, and she wished just for once, she could say something that he didn't want to hear or expect her to say.

"Good," he said, lowering the tone of his voice. "I don't want you to stay away from me."

Sakura risked looking up at him and wished she hadn't. It was too hard to resist him when he had that look in his eyes, the same one from before, like he wanted to devour her. Every inch of her skin felt as if it were sizzling beneath his stare and she struggled to remember how to breathe. How was he so good at controlling himself? Was he not dying to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him?

"Now," he murmured, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I seem to remember you having more questions you wanted to ask me."

Questions?

Oh!

She blinked a few times to pull herself out of the stupor he always left her in and she bit her lower lip in thought. Too much had happened since they had been on the phone with one another, too much and yet _nothing _at all. Still, she was having trouble thinking back to the question she had wanted to know the answer to.

"I guess," she started, picking one of the hundreds she had circling through her head. "How does it work?"

"How does what work?"

God, he was going to make her say it. No, he wanted to hear her say it. She was starting to catch on to him, albeit slowly. Scowling, she took a deep breath and rephrased the question. "How does this whole dominant and submissive thing work? Like, is she basically your sex slave?"

Kakashi chuckled quietly. "As much as I like the sound of that, no. It's different for different partners, of course. Some want to be completely dominated and turned into a sex slave, as you say, but I prefer something different."

"Like what?" She was almost too afraid to ask. Could he tell how much of an effort it was forcing those words out? 

He took a deep breath and looked up at the branches of the tree above her head. Absently, he reached up and pulled one of the broad leaves, just starting to turn yellow on the edges. "I like to keep things simple and physical."

"That seems difficult. Doesn't sex usually complicate things?" 

"No," he said with a shrug. "Sex with feelings attached complicates things."

"And this is just sex for you? This lifestyle?" Slowly, she was starting to piece this puzzle together but she wasn't sure she could see the whole picture. How could sex not complicate things? Sex had been complicating her relationship with Sasuke since their first kiss when she clearly wanted to go further and he did not. 

"I try not to complicate it beyond sex. Besides, there's a trick to keeping things simplified." 

She raised an eyebrow and his lips stretched into another one of those wolfish grins that exposed his teeth and made her weak in the knees. "And what's that?"

"A nifty little trick called communication. It does wonders," he laughed and dropped the leaf he had plucked, letting it slowly drift to the ground before he crossed his arms over his chest again. "But in all seriousness, we draw up a contract with clear boundaries and stipulations. I make an offer, you counter it or agree to it."

His use of the word 'you' made heat rush to her face and she wondered if he was using it generally or specifically her. The thought of discussing the boundaries of a potential contract between them was surprisingly arousing but she didn't let herself think about it long. Sakura wrinkled her nose and brushed it off with a scoff, not wanting him to know she was turned on. "A sex contract? That doesn't sound very sexy."

"On the contrary," he said, his voice taking on that low, husky tone once again. Sakura froze as he stepped forward and took her hand, positioning her palm so he could look down at it. His middle finger drew a line from her thumb to her pinky and she felt both frozen to the spot and completely consumed by heat. "Knowing your partners wants and desires, as well as how far they're willing to let you go, is incredibly sexy. But I'm curious, Sakura...How far will you let me go?"

Oh, fuck. 

That was the same question she had been asking herself from the moment she first spoke to him outside the registrar's office. His fingers, so long and pale in the faint light filtering through the trees, curled around her wrist and he gently pulled her closer to him. They were mere inches apart and she could feel the warmth of his body spread over hers. As if she wasn't hot enough as it were!

With his free hand, Kakashi reached up and curled a finger beneath her chin, tilting her head up so she could meet his gaze. She knew it was a trap, that as soon as she saw that hungry gaze, she would be powerless to stop it. And she had to stop it. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her palm against his chest before he could actually kiss her.

The rational part of her brain was breathing a sigh of relief but her entire body was cursing her to fiery torment for doing this. "Kakashi, I--" she had to take a deep breath. What in the world was she doing? "--I'm seeing someone right now and as much as I-I want to kiss you, I can't be that person. No matter how complicated my relationship with him is."

"Complicated how?"

He was still so close to her. Was he trying to drive her crazy? She knew the answer to that and she swallowed tightly before allowing her eyes to open. "He's just..." Why was she telling him this? "He says he's not a very sexual person."

"And you are." It wasn't a question and it made her finally look up to meet his gaze. Which was a mistake because it didn't help lessen her desire to kiss him. It made it worse. She shook her head and took a step back, needing some distance between them if she wanted to be able to breathe. 

"I guess I am." God, was it obvious to him how pent up she was? He must have been able to see how badly she was wound up and drowning in her hormones. "It makes me feel a bit silly, though. Sex shouldn't be what complicates a relationship. It's just sex."

"Sakura," he said, sounding just like that disappointed authority figure that made her want to shrink away in shame. "Your sexuality is as important as your personality. Denying it will do more harm than good, trust me." She held her breath as he reached out and brushed his thumb along the line of her jaw. He left a trail of tingles along her skin and she nearly let out a moan. "You shouldn't be ashamed of being a sexual person. Your feelings are as valid as someone on the opposite end of the spectrum. But, I can't speak about your relationship because I'm not in it."

What he said validated so many of the things she had felt the past few weeks, all of the inner turmoil and self-doubt, and it felt good to hear someone else say it. She swallowed down the protests she had the habit of making when it came to things like indulging in her wants and needs. Before she could say anything, he tucked her hair behind her ear and traced the line of her jaw to her chin, once again tilting her head up to look at him.

"If you decide you want something more, you know who to call and to be honest, I don't mind if you're in a relationship with someone else. I'm not trying to make you fall in love with me, I just want to show you how to have fun." After a moment, he winked. "While also giving you multiple orgasms." 

She blinked and felt as if she had been splashed in the face with cold water. It was hard for her to focus on one part of what he said at a time. Especially when the last part kept distracting her. It was hard to digest, knowing he didn't care if she was still with someone else but that only sent up more alarms in her head. Were strictly physical relationships even possible when things like BDSM were thrown in the mix? 

It didn't seem likely, from her perspective, but then again, she had no perspective when it came to this kind of stuff. 

"C'mon," he said, nodding in the direction they came. "We should probably get you back home."

No.

Not yet! 

She glanced back to the fountain, watching the water pour down the carved seashells on the base. This wasn't where she had thought the night would end, but she had been the one to stop him from kissing her. It had been her decision to end the night at that moment. He was just giving her the distance she told him she needed.

Trying not to let it show how disappointed she was on her face, Sakura nodded and turned to follow him back to the sidewalk. He was quiet on their walk back and she wished more than anything else that she was brave enough to ask him what he was thinking about. He was always so hard to read.

She wanted to know if he was still mourning their almost-kiss as much as she was. Was it burning through him like a flow of lava, consuming everything in its path, including her will to be a _ good girl _and not damage her relationship with Sasuke? Well, unless it wasn't already damaged by her own doing.

Much too soon, they were passing by _ Might Gai's Mighty Sandwich _shop and she was pleased to see that he was much busier than he had been just a short while ago. A line of people, probably who had all been hit with the beer munchies at the same time, were waiting at the counter, and a few had even moved on to the tables on the patio. What would she and Kakashi be doing now if she had kissed him when they sat at that table, when he had given her that look that just the memory of was making her weak?

Sakura faced forward again and they left the sandwich shop behind. The main downtown strip was just as busy as it had been when they arrived and she tried to think up an excuse--_ anything _\--to prolong their time together. Which only made her feel worse. She had made her decision! This was what was right. What she needed to do.

She couldn't let herself give in to Kakashi if she was still dating Sasuke. That was wrong and she refused to be the kind of girl that would do that.

But as they neared his car, she was beginning to realize how much of an idiot she was. Who the hell cares if she wanted to give in? Didn't she deserve to enjoy herself? Wasn't this the time in her life when she was supposed to be making mistakes and memories? Sakura glanced at Kakashi from over the roof of the car and caught his gaze. He was giving her a strange look like he was trying to figure her out and she hesitated with her hand on the door handle.

Had she finally stumped him?

Kakashi smiled and opened his own door, dropping inside as if he didn't want her to realize it. And she stood there, not knowing how in the world she could have even accomplished something like that. Blinking, she opened her own door and lowered herself into the seat. As worried as she had been before about someone seeing them together, she couldn't have cared any less now.

What she wouldn't give to have him drape an arm around her now. Why in the world had she been so freaked out by that before? She was stupid, that's why. A gorgeous man, despite how utterly intimidating he was, wanted to give her multiple orgasms, and open her up to new things sexually and she was hung up on being a good person? Yeah. She was stupid.

Sakura sat back in the seat and let her head fall against the headrest behind her. She didn't want to pout, but she was definitely feeling the need for it. As he reversed out of the parking space, he glanced at her and laughed quietly.

"Why do you look so miserable all of a sudden?"

_ Because I didn't get what I wanted. _ She shushed herself and looked down at her hands in her lap with a shrug. "I didn't know I did."

He reached over and flicked her bottom lip, making her whip her head up to see him grinning. "You're pouting."

"No, I'm not."

"You are," he countered, taking a left at the next green light to steer them back toward the University. As soon as he straightened the wheel again, he glanced at her. "But it's alright. I am too."

"Why are you pouting?"

The lights along the street passed over the car, illuminating his face long enough for Sakura to watch his smile fade. He gave her a look which asked 'do you really want to know' and she found herself gripping the edge of her seat in anticipation. His gaze flickered down to her lips and in the distance, she could see that they were drawing closer to the campus, to the moment she would have to step out of his car and go back to her dorm room to ache and yearn for something she could have easily had.

"Because I want you and I didn't get to have my way with you."

She stopped breathing, possibly needed to check her pulse, but couldn't do much aside from stare at him in a daze. Well, she had gotten the answer to one of the questions she had been asking herself, but it didn't make her feel much better. In fact, it had only made her feel worse, in the sense that she was more conflicted than ever.

And if she had thought she was close to cardiac arrest before, she nearly died altogether when he dropped a hand from the steering wheel and reached over to set it on her bare thigh. Was it possible to orgasm from just a touch? His hand was so warm, so gentle yet firm as he tightened his hold on her leg. Her throat clenched around the sound she wanted to make--something between whining and moaning--and she sank an inch lower in the seat.

He was seriously going to be the death of her.

The car came to a stop underneath a red light and Sakura looked out the window at their surroundings. She didn't want to be back home yet. She wanted him to keep driving, wanted him to take her back to his place and do things to her that she would regret in the morning. Tension was thick between them and as he brushed his thumb over the curve of her thigh, Sakura moaned.

She hadn't meant to do it. It had just slipped out, and now there was no taking it back. She clamped her teeth around the swell of her bottom lip and closed her eyes. If she looked at his hand, or him, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from doing something stupid. Even this, just being touched by him, moaning because of him, was too much.

The light changed overhead and Kakashi was slow to press the gas. Perhaps he wanted to prolong this as much as she did. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and opened her mouth, unable to take much more of this. "Pull over," she whispered.

They were close to the university now, near a few buildings that were reserved for off-campus activities and were closed for the weekend. The trees grew thick along the street and it was dark. Exactly how she wanted it.

"What was that?"

"Pull. Over."

He started to pull his hand away and she reached out to grab his wrist, keeping it exactly where it was, exactly where she wanted it. Well...not quite where she wanted it, but this was enough for now. Kakashi did as she asked and steered the car to the side of the street reserved for parallel parking and as soon as he shifted the car into park, Sakura let out a breath.

"I'm seeing someone--"

"So you've said."

"--But you told me that it was better to experience life than to spend all my time worrying about the details. So..." She trailed off, dipping her hand down to press the button to unbuckle her seatbelt. "Help me experience it."

His hand left her thigh, despite her trying to stop it and his palm, so warm and soft, cupped her cheek. She managed to blink in surprise moments before he pulled her to him. Their lips met and Sakura realized she had been wrong before. _ This _would be the death of her. He kissed her slowly yet hungrily at the same time and all the while, he was in complete control.

Every tilt of her head, every brush of their lips, was all controlled by Kakashi. If this was what it was like to be dominated by him, then she would gladly submit. Sakura pressed a hand to his chest but not to push him away. Her fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt because she was afraid if she didn't hold onto him, she would melt into the floorboard.

Kakashi guided her lips open with his and tilted his head to the side, finding a position to kiss her deeper and somehow, it felt even better like this. His tongue found hers just as he tangled his fingers through the hair at the back of her head, keeping her steady, right where he wanted her.

He growled, a deep sound from the back of his throat that made her toes curl, and looped another arm around her waist, drawing her closer. She felt the center console beneath her knees but hadn't registered what was happening until her hip brushed against the steering wheel. He guided her knees on either side of his lap and sat her down on top of him, her back pressing against the wheel.

It should have knocked some sense into her head, should have told her that what she was doing was abhorrent, but it had the opposite effect. Sakura gripped the seat behind his shoulders and pressed closer to him. Something was digging into her shin and her other foot was on the verge of falling asleep, but she didn't care. She wanted more.

Kakashi groaned against her lips as his hand slipped beneath her sweatshirt and splayed over the small of her back. He found the clasp of her bra and easily unhooked it with one hand, surprising her, though she shouldn't have been. Everything about him told her he would be good at this.

And fuck, he was.

He kissed her like he wanted to make her forget she had ever met any other man. And for the time being, she did. There was nothing but his lips on hers and his hand snaking around her ribs to cup her breast. The sensation, warm pleasure and exhilaration, spread through her body and she felt light as air in his touch. Every inch of her skin that he touched left her begging for more.

Kakashi palmed her breast and squeezed hard enough to make her gasp against his lips. She’d never had someone be so rough with her before, and she didn’t know why, but she liked it. He brushed the pad of his thumb over her taut nipple, soothing the pain he had caused and she leaned into his touch, pressing her hips down into his lap. 

The groan that rumbled through his chest was arousing--_ fuck_, it was the hottest thing she’d ever heard--but he pulled away from her kiss and reached up to smooth the hair from her face. Even in the dim light, she could see how pink and swollen his lips were and she traced her own with her tongue. 

“As much as I want to continue this,” he breathed, pulling his hand out from beneath her sweatshirt, nearly making her whine in protest. “We should probably cool it.”

He was right. Still, she couldn't help asking, "Why?"

Kakashi chuckled and slid his hands to her hips, his grip tightening enough to make her squirm. "I think you know why."

She did know why and knew that if he hadn't had enough control to stop them, she would have done anything he wanted. A part of her, the part that he brought out whenever he was near, still wanted more. Sakura nodded and thought back to that moment in her dorm, where she had known this would be a mistake, had told herself to stop it and couldn't.

This was exactly the kind of thing she had wanted to avoid and yet, she walked right into it. She had asked for it! And now she would wake up regretting it and the last thing she wanted was to ever regret anything she and Kakashi did. He was far too skilled for her to be feeling guilty about. Guilt would make her hesitate if the chance ever came up again.

She nodded, still trying to catch her breath and sat back on his lap, careful not to brush against the bulge pressing into the front of his jeans. Kakashi reached up and ran his thumb across her bottom lip, tracing the tender area he had kissed so thoroughly and she leaned into his touch. 

“I think we both have been wanting that for a while now. And trust me, I want so much more.”

Oh, when he said things like that, it made it that much harder to crawl off of his lap and fall back into her own seat. But she did, and let her head fall back against the headrest as she wiggled the feeling back into her foot. There was a spot on her shin where the seat belt had been digging into her leg and she wondered if there would be a mark there in the morning. She hoped there would be. It would be proof that she hadn’t dreamed all of this up.

Kakashi reached for the gear shift and put the car into drive, but he didn’t take the wheel with both of his hands. One returned to her thigh, exactly as it had been earlier, and Sakura found herself smiling, though her lips were still a bit tender. 

It felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest. She had gotten a taste of what he had been teasing her with and it had been so much more than she could have imagined. Exactly enough to tide her over, though she would definitely be giving herself an orgasm as soon as she got back into her dorm room. 

The car pulled into the parking lot outside of her building and she sighed. She wished she had something clever to say to him, but she was afraid if she opened her mouth, she would beg him to kiss her again. He lifted his hand off of her thigh and shifted into park before looking up at her building. 

“Thanks for this,” she said quietly. “I had...fun.”

“Oh, so did I.” He turned to her with a grin that made her dizzy. “You know, you’re invited to dinner Thursday night. I think everyone would love for you to join us again.”

_ Everyone_, or him?

She decided not to ask him that and nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear to hide her smile. “I’d like that. It would be nice to see _ everyone _ again.” 

The playful scowl on his face let her know he picked up on the word she emphasized and he reached over to take her hand. She watched, breath held, as he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Well, until then, I think _ everyone _ will be anxiously waiting for Thursday.”

She had never been jealous of her own hand before but here she was, wishing he was kissing her lips once more. The thought of returning back to that house, to seeing everyone after seeing them so _open _the last time, thrilled her while at the same time, she didn’t know if she could look them in the eye again. It would be a test, she was almost certain. A test to see how she could handle things.

The corner of her lips lifted into a smile and she blindly reached for the door handle, never taking her eyes off of his. “Me too,” she admitted.

With a click of the latch, the door popped open and Sakura fumbled her way out of it, not wanting to turn away from him. It was as if she knew as soon as he was out of her line of sight, the hazy feeling he surrounded her with would disappear, and she would be left once more in the guilt and sour thoughts. And she was tired of living in that headspace. 

Kakashi winked as she stood to her feet and hesitated at the side of the car. “Sweet dreams, Sakura.”

He knew what she was going to do to herself as soon as she was back in her room. He knew and he had been counting on it and knowing he would possibly be thinking about her touching herself to the thought of him made her feel warm from head to toe. She stepped back, unable to get rid of her smile, and told him good night before letting the door shut behind her. 

The car stayed at the curb as she walked up the steps to the front doors of her building and as she grabbed the handle, she turned back to him. He was watching her, and the look on his face was exactly the one she would be picturing as she made herself come. 

At the same time that she walked in the building, he pulled away and the red tail lights of his car disappeared around the corner. Just as she expected, he took the dizziness, warmth, and carefree attitude with him, leaving Sakura with nothing but shame and arousal. The shame she would deal with in the morning. 

Tonight, she needed a release from all of this pent up desire.

* * *


	9. Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short, but the next will more than make up for it :)

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* * *

“So, have you talked to Sasuke since Friday night?”

The question was one that Sakura was dreading the most and hearing her best friend ask it nearly made her groan. She straightened the strap of her book bag higher on her shoulder and glanced sideways at Ino who was, no surprise, watching Sakura for a reaction. Swallowing down the agitation from being forced to think about Sasuke, the girl shook her head.

“No, I haven’t. I think he’s avoiding me.”

Ino nodded as if that was a completely understandable concept and Sakura’s first instinct was to be offended. But what was the point? She had humiliated herself and Sasuke in front of their friends. If he was avoiding her, he had every right to.

Of course, this only irritated her and she glanced down at the phone in her left hand. The screen was void of any text notification, just as it had been all weekend. Not that she had attempted to text him first.

No, she’d rather avoid any interaction with him until it was absolutely necessary. And that was mostly because she didn’t want to have that conversation with him. And while it had been on her mind all weekend, her apprehension had nothing to do with what had happened Friday night _after_ she had left the party.

Thinking about it still put a smile to her face four days later and though she hadn’t had the chance to talk to Kakashi either, she was still floating on cloud nine just from kissing him. She wasn’t floating as high as she had been in the hours after their kiss, but she was up there.

“Don’t quote me on this,” Ino said as she pulled open the door to the commons building. Inside was bustling as usual for lunchtime and Sakura squeezed close to the door frame as a few larger guys came rushing out, barely noticing her over their laughter and conversation. “But I heard from Hinata, who of course heard this from Naruto, that Sasuke asked if you were alright. I don’t think he’s avoiding you so much as he’s avoiding the conversation the two of you are going to have.”

“Well, that makes two of us.” Sakura followed the blonde as she weaved her way through the lines stretching throughout the area. There were five separate eating establishments on the ground floor of the commons building and each day they were as busy as could be, especially midday. Today was no exception. Which was unfortunate for Sakura since she was starving.

Her stomach rumbled in protest to being forced to wait but she followed Ino to a small, square table in the middle of the eating area and dropped her book bag beside the empty chair next to Tenten. She looked up from the textbook she was currently reading from and flashed a smile at her friends.

“Where’s Hinata?” Ino asked, glancing around the multitude of students standing around in the lines.

“Oh, I sent her to get me a salad,” Tenten said, twisting in her chair to point to one of the restaurants that served deli-style food. It immediately reminded Sakura about Gai’s Mighty Sandwiches and her face grew warm all over again. Suddenly, she was craving a sandwich.

"Maybe she'll let us cut in line," Ino said, tugging Sakura's hand toward the line. It took a bit of flirting from the blonde to pacify the annoyed guys behind Hinata in line, but eventually, they were paying for their food and once again making their way back to the table to eat.

Sakura sat down in her chair and set her book bag on the floor before opening her bag of chips to pop one into her mouth. She looked over to Hinata who was balancing Tenten's plastic salad container on top of her own while cradling her textbooks in the crook of her arm. "Did everyone have a good weekend?" Hinata asked breathlessly as she finally took her seat.

The other three girls shared a look that made Sakura's stomach clench. She knew exactly what they were thinking of judging by the looks of pity on their faces. They fully expected her to not have had a good weekend after her little altercation Friday night at the party. Little did they know that she had a little help getting over that.

Warmth lit her cheeks and she busied herself with opening her sandwich to hide the fact that she was blushing like crazy. Her friends didn't need to know, and more than likely would never know, that she had spent her weekend reliving the kiss she had shared with Kakashi. They didn't need to know that she had laid in bed for the entire two days afterward, watching Netflix and giving herself orgasms.

Sakura snatched one half of her sandwich from the container, knowing she had to stop thinking about him, and smiled at her friend. "It was alright. How about you?"

"I spent the whole time studying but Naruto came over Sunday--" she paused with a bite of salad an inch away from her face, her lavender eyes cutting to Sakura. "He...told me what happened."

For fuck's sake. Did the entire university know by now?

Across the table, Ino was shaking her head. "That boy gossips more than I do."

With a roll of her eyes, Sakura dropped her sandwich back down onto the plastic and sat back in her chair. Her appetite had suddenly disappeared at the mention of Naruto discussing _her_ relationship behind her back. It was none of his business whether she and Sasuke had a fight, yet he had to go blab it to Hinata?

She was going to kick his ass.

"Are you going to break up with him?" Hinata asked quietly around the bite of food in her mouth. Her question made Sakura's head snap up and she blinked in confusion.

She wanted to snap back and tell her, of course, she wasn't breaking up with him, but she clamped her lips shut as she thought about the question. At the moment, she truly had no idea what she was going to do about the Sasuke situation. Her kiss with Kakashi had complicated things ten times over but she hadn’t yet begun to regret it. She hoped she wouldn’t. Frowning down into her ham and cheese, Sakura sighed.

"I don't know. Isn't it a stupid thing to break up with someone over?"

It was the same question she had been asking herself all weekend, and if she was being honest with herself, the same question she had been asking herself for a while. Sex--or lack thereof--was a ridiculous reason to dump someone. But even though that's what she had been thinking since her frustrations over Sasuke's inability to satisfy her started, Kakashi had said otherwise. His words had been circling her head since she had heard them and even now, the echo was in her thoughts.

_Your sexuality is as important as your personality. Denying it will do more harm than good, trust me._

Beside her, Hinata shook her head and looked down into her salad, stabbing bits of lettuce and tomato with her fork. "I don't know. I wasn't there so I really don't know much about the situation."

Just what Naruto had told her, of course.

"Dump him," Ino said simply, shrugging her shoulders before taking a sip of her water. Beside her, Tenten rolled her eyes and looked at Sakura.

"Don't dump him. Just talk to him."

"Let's change the subject, shall we?" Ino leaned forward and smiled at her friends. It wasn't her normal smile...it was more devious and it made Sakura narrow her eyes. What in the world could be up her sleeve now? "How's everyone's semester going?"

The other two gave her the typical answers; stressful, boring, ready for a break already. Sakura had turned back to her sandwich, thankful that the conversation had finally veered away from her and her Sasuke situation, but the look on Ino's face when she looked at Sakura made her a tad nervous. She had seen the impish smirk on her best friend's face before...usually before Ino would do something particularly annoying.

As if on cue, Ino leaned forward and pushed her food out of the way, laying her arms down on the table as she shared a glance with the two girls on Sakura's sides. "Has Sakura told you guys about the hot TA she's been talking to?"

In unison, both Tenten and Hinata whipped their heads toward Sakura and she felt the color drain from her face. She was going to kick Naruto and Ino's ass for all the trouble they’ve caused her in the past few days. Clenching her jaw, she glared at her best friend. "It's not as big of a deal as you're making it--"

"What TA?"

"Do we know him?"

"Is he hot?"

The barrage of questions nearly went unanswered. Sakura wasn't going to dignify them with a response since it was neither of their business, but before she could snap at Ino for being such a bitch, the blonde's mouth stretched into a grin. She nodded toward something over Sakura's shoulder.

"See for yourself."

Sakura was very careful not to let herself react on the outside to what Ino had said. She kept herself seated, facing her _former_ best friend, eyes narrowed into slits while on the inside, she was having a full-blown panic attack. Her blood was pumping so fast it was making her dizzy and she gripped the edge of her chair with a white-knuckle grip, dangerously close to snapping right through it.

"Which one?" Tenten asked, scanning the crowd.

Ino was quick to help her out and leaned closer to her. "The tall one, standing at the register. Silver hair."

Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura noticed Tenten's jaw drop halfway to her chest and she blinked slowly. The anticipation was killing her. She wanted to see him but didn't want to give Ino the satisfaction. Despite her two friends being quite obvious with their staring, Sakura refused. She brushed her hair over her shoulder and glanced stealthily at the direction Ino had directed them to look.

It didn’t take long to find him.

There he was, standing at the register of the coffee shop behind them, looking every bit as hot as he had been Friday night when she saw him last and she couldn't help letting the tension in her jaw slack just a bit. All too suddenly, she remembered exactly what it was like to kiss him and heat seared through her. Flashes of being on his lap, his hands beneath her shirt, grinding into his hips, raced through her head and she swallowed tightly, letting her eyes drift down to his body.

He had on a dark button-up shirt, left open with a white t-shirt underneath, and a pair of jeans that drew Sakura's eyes down to his ass. She wanted to sit there like that and admire him for the next few years, but he turned away from the register, breaking her attention on his ass...and turned right toward her.

Fuck.

She whipped back around to face Ino and snapped her fingers at her friends. "Can you two please be a little more inconspicuous? You're gawking at the man!"

Tenten returned to the front and cursed beneath her breath, glancing quickly from Sakura to Ino before leaning toward the center of the table. "I think he saw me."

"What?" Sakura snapped. God, she didn't want to look back to check but her curiosity was killing her. She hoped he hadn't noticed her friends being total idiots. The humiliation would be impossible to live down. "I told you to stop looking at him!"

"You know," Ino started, making Sakura turn her glare to her. The smirk on her lips was _infuriating _and she wanted nothing more than to reach across the table and smack it off of her face. "For someone who claims it's no big deal, your entire face is as red as your shirt."

Sakura leaned forward and put her palms down on the table. "That's because you're making it a big deal! You're making me feel weird about it."

"Well, you've got about three seconds to get over it, because he's heading this way."

_What_?

Oh, god, this wasn't happening.

God, she was going to kill Ino for this. It wasn't technically her fault that he had seen them, but she initiated it and from beneath the table, Sakura kicked at her.

The tip of her sneaker hit something, but she didn't know if it was Ino's shin or the leg of the chair. She didn't have much time to check either seeing as how exactly three seconds later, Kakashi circled the table and turned to face Sakura. She swallowed her squeak and smiled up at him, pretending to be surprised to see him standing there. He held a coffee cup in one hand and a book in the other at his side and Sakura glanced from it back up to his face.

"Hey," she managed to say breathlessly.

"I thought that was you." How was his voice so hot? It was practically melting her to her seat in front of the entire commons area. "Too shy to say hello to me now?"

"No." It was a lie. She was too shy to even _think_ straight in front of him, let alone say hello. She pushed her hair behind her ears and forced a smile. "I just...you looked busy."

"I'm never too busy to stop and say hi to a friend, or her friends," he said with a crooked smile as if he could see right through her bullshit excuse and he was teasing her for being shy. How could she be anything _but_ shy when all she could think about was how it had felt to grind against his lap in the front seat of his car? He flashed the other three girls at the table a dazzling smile that Sakura felt deep within her. "Hello."

Her friends stared up at him but managed to respond to him properly and she gripped her hands around the chair tighter. God, what was going through their heads right then? Were they seeing him like she did--brutally hot and infinitely intimidating? Or did the spell he have over Sakura only affect her?

Judging by the look of awe on Tenten's face, she had her answer.

"We still on for Thursday?"

His question made her eyes widen and she ignored the slow turn of Ino's head, as well as the piercing look she was giving her. Sakura forced a smile and nodded. "Of course."

“Good.” Again, his smile nearly sent her over the edge and she hooked her ankles around the chair legs to keep herself from slipping onto the floor. And to seal the deal, he winked at her and lifted his coffee cup to give her a lazy wave of his fingers. “Have a good day ladies."

With that, he turned on his heel and weaved his way through the maze of tables until the crowd blocked him from Sakura's sight and she blinked herself out of the daze he had left her in. When she came back into reality, her friends were staring at her as if she had suddenly grown two heads.

She knew they were going to bombard her with questions about what in the world _Thursday_ could be and she rolled her eyes with a sigh. She slid her chair closer to the table and resumed eating her chips. Her appetite hadn't returned but stuffing her mouth was better than having to speak at that moment. Then again, it was better to explain before they could start assuming things.

Dusting the cheesy crumbs off of her fingers, she looked at each of them pointedly. "It's a _dinner party_, guys. There will be about eight other people there and most of them are older, more mature women that someone like he would be interested in." Lying was way easier than ever admitting the truth to them. Where would she even start anyway? Telling them about the sex dungeon was _out of the question_. Telling them anything was out of the question! There's no way they would just accept the knowledge. They would _have_ to harass her about it for days--possibly weeks. "Trust me, there is nothing going on between me and him."

Even as she said it, she could see the way he had looked up at her in the front seat of his car after their kiss, breathless and dazed, gripping her tightly. It sent tiny tremors of heat rolling through her that all seemed to gather at her lower belly, sinking deep within her.

Despite her reassuring her friends that nothing was going on, nothing had happened, and nothing _would_ happen with her and Kakashi, the three of them stayed quiet. She was worried they could see through her lies and if any of them did, it was the one directly across from her. Ino stared at her, but that infuriating smirk was gone, replaced only with a pensive look that made Sakura more nervous somehow.

It was Tenten who finally spoke up. She popped the cap of her water bottle open and shook her head. "I changed my previous answer." All three of them turned to stare at her as she took a quick sip. "Dump Sasuke and go for _him_."

"You're incorrigible." Sakura rolled her eyes but risked a glance at Ino. The look was still there on her face, still just as worrying. Sakura wet her lips and folded her arms over her chest. "What?"

"Nothing," Ino shrugged and sat forward in her chair. "I just can't remember seeing you so flustered around a guy like this before."

"That's not true. I was flustered around Sasuke all last year."

Ino grinned. "Yeah, because you were crushing on him pretty damn hard."

Sakura opened her mouth to snap at her, but she had nothing to say. Ino's point was proven and there was no amount of arguing that was going to get Sakura out of it. Damn it. She had walked _right_ into that trap. The girls on either side of them giggled and Hinata covered her mouth with her fingers. "Oh, she totally got you."

"Whatever," Sakura said, snatching her trash up from the table. She wouldn't stick around if they were just going to keep teasing her about this. "You three can think what you want, but I know the truth. There's nothing going on with Kakashi and I and there will be nothing going on. I have to go to class."

It was a lie of course. She didn't have class for another hour and a half, and the three of them knew it, but she refused to sit there and listen to them prattle on and on about this. They protested her leaving as she gathered her book bag from the floor and pushed her chair back. Sakura glanced at Ino and caught that same smirk from before that had returned. It made her stomach clench and she quickly looked away.

And while none of them knew that she was lying--about class and Kakashi--she realized the latter was technically a half-lie. There wouldn't be anything happening between her and Kakashi if she didn't talk to Sasuke first. Once she had a chance to do that, to figure out what _they_ were, she would be free to think more about the answer she was going to give Kakashi on Thursday.

Which meant she was going to have to pull on her big girl pants and actually _talk_ to Sasuke in the next two days.

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“Can we go somewhere a little...quieter?” Sakura glanced across the recreational area of the dorm building and frowned at the noisy table of air hockey. A group of guys stood around the table, cheering on the two others who were at the opposite ends with the paddles. The volume they were speaking at was annoying on a normal day. When she was actually trying to have a conversation with someone?

Out of the question.

She turned back to look at Sasuke sitting next to her on the couch on the opposite side of the room. He was reading through some of his notes from class, barely paying attention to Sakura or the racket going on behind them. “Where would you suggest we go?” he asked absently.

“Well,” Sakura started, sliding closer to the edge of the couch cushion. “Anywhere is better than having to talk over all their noise. Don’t you have a dorm room somewhere in this building?”

With a sigh, Sasuke lowered the papers in his hands to his lap and turned to look at her. The look on his face didn’t help relax her at all and she felt herself lean away from his look of annoyance. He nodded across the room to a few doors. “There are some study rooms over there. Would that be okay?”

Well, it was clear he didn’t want to be totally alone with her. God, did he think she was going to try to jump him or something? Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes and grabbed her purse from the couch and stood. “That’s fine. I just don’t want to hear them anymore.”

It took a moment for him to gather his textbooks and notes from the table in front of the couch but once he had them all, they made their way across the room to one of the closed doors. There was a note taped to the front saying ‘Shh, studying is in session’ but apparently no one had stopped to read them.

Sasuke pushed the door open and held it there, waiting for Sakura to head inside first and she forced a small smile at him. Inside the small room was a table with four chairs positioned around them. A dry-erase board was hung on one wall with a tray of erasers and markers and in the corner, someone had drawn a crude stick figure couple having sex.

How appropriate for the conversation she would be having with Sasuke. She rolled her eyes before turning back to face him and they lowered into the chairs on either side of the table. Sasuke laid his notes back out in front of him and leaned over the set of papers he had been studying on the couch.

Before he could get too far, Sakura reached out and put her hand down on the notes, making him lift his head to stare at her. “I was hoping we could actually talk. About Friday? About us?”

He didn’t try to hide his sigh and as he sat up, he crossed his arms over his chest and cut his gaze away from her. Apparently the corner of the dry erase board was more interesting than meeting her eyes and Sakura pursed her lips. “I’m trying to apologize to you, Sasuke. I was drunk and stupid and I should have respected you.”

The tension in his shoulders relaxed and he dropped his arms at his side. He looked at her once more and sighed—this time with less annoyance in the gesture. “It’s okay. I was mad at the time but I’ve gotten over it.”

Well, then why was he acting like such a brat to her today? Her stomach clenched and she pressed her palm to it. Was he breaking up with her? Should she be relieved or sad about it? She didn’t know what she was feeling. The mysterious ball of knots just sat in her stomach, unmoving, unchanging.

“Okay.” Sakura looked down at the papers he had laid out in front of him, not sure if she wanted to even ask the next question on her tongue. “So...what are we?”

Again, Sasuke sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. He sat up in the chair and put his elbows down on the table. The shrug of his shoulders _should_ have made her miserable, shouldn’t it? Shouldn’t she feel _something_?

When he lifted his head, their eyes met and she did feel something that confused her even more. A pinch of regret and relief at the same time. She took her bottom lip between her teeth and bit down hard.

“I like you Sakura. I really do.” Sasuke trailed off with a small sigh and she expected a _but_ to come out of his lips any moment now. “When we hang out, I have a lot of fun and I like knowing that you’re there.”

“I like you too.” Her voice was so quiet, almost a whisper and she had to force the words out. They weren’t a lie. She really did like him and had liked him for a while but the way he was talking to her didn’t sit well with her. It made her eyes narrow in confusion and she waited for him to speak again.

“Last year I was...out of control. I got wrapped up in the typical college life and I went a bit crazy. And I nearly lost my scholarship for it.” Ah, that she understood all too well and it made her entire midsection clench tightly. She still hadn’t let herself think about what she was going to do about her own scholarship situation and she swallowed tightly. “I ran around with whoever, chasing stupid things, getting in fights, sleeping with whoever I wanted.”

This time, a touch of jealousy joined with the strange mix of regret and relief inside her and she nodded. She sat as still as a statue, afraid that if she moved an inch, she would bolt out of the room. What he was saying was a bit too familiar. But their situations aren’t the same. Sure, she was confused about her future and contemplating a sexual relationship with a man who wanted to dominate her, but that wasn’t the same.

Across the table, Sasuke put his hands down on his notes and tented his fingers. “This is what I need to focus on. I graduate in a year and my semesters are only going to get harder from here on out. If I want to secure a career for myself, I have to keep myself in line and focused. You of all people should understand that.”

That hurt more than she would admit, and she hid her wince behind a slow nod. She did understand of course. She had been so focused since she was 12 that the last few months had thrown her for a loop that was still making her nauseous. “I understand,” she said quietly, clenching her hands tightly in her lap. “Or, at least I did last year. I’m a little lost this semester.”

“I know. And I think worrying about us, or about us having sex or whatever, will only hurt you in the long run.”

“Are you breaking up with me?”

There.

It was out in the air. There was no going back. She had asked the question that she had been wondering about the past few days and she held her breath as she waited for his answer. Her entire body was tense, braced for the answer she was almost positive he would give her.

Instead, he surprised her.

Sasuke stood up and moved to the chair beside her, sitting down once again and reaching for her hands. They were a bit sweaty, but if he noticed, he didn’t comment on them. “Of course not, Sakura.”

She felt as if he had just smacked her in the face with a brick. He _wasn’t_ breaking up with her? She was stunned, dazed, completely taken aback. She had been so sure he was. What the hell was he leading up to then? Blinking back her confusion, she sat up and shook her head.

“Then...what are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” he took a deep breath and laced his fingers through hers. “I don’t want things to change. I want to keep spending time with you. But I wasn’t lying to you when I told you I’m not a sexual person. That person last year? That wasn’t me. I was doing what I thought I should be doing as a twenty-year-old male in college.”

Was this really happening? Nothing was changing. They were going to go back to being barely more than friends? He could see the confusion written in the frown pinching her face and he reached for her face, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

“Can’t we just keep things like they were? We were having fun weren’t we?”

“Yeah,” she forced the word out and nodded. “I just...To clarify—we’re just dating? Nothing exclusive?”

Sasuke sighed, a strange look passing over his face. Was he...pitying her? “Sakura, I didn’t know you wanted a relationship when we started this. If I had known, I would have told you that I need to be one hundred percent focused on my future right now. To be honest, I thought you wanted the same for yourself.”

“I did. I _do_. I’m just taking the semester to figure some things out.” The need to defend herself flared quickly to life inside her and she had to swallow back the urge to argue with him. This was already confusing enough as it is. She didn’t need to start a fight with him to make things worse.

“I know, and you’ll get back on track soon,” Sasuke said with a small smile on his lips. “That’s one of the things I liked most about you. You were driven and so sure of yourself.”

_Were_.

Suddenly, she wanted his hands off of hers and wanted to be far away from him. Before she could stand up and leave, Sasuke glanced back to his notes laid out on the table and sighed. “I have an exam tomorrow. I should get back to studying.”

“Okay.” Why couldn’t she say anything useful? Why couldn’t she tell him off? Sure, there was still part of her that was clinging onto the hope that he would change his mind, that he would want her and they would be happy together. And she wasn’t exactly sure the other part of her was ready to let go of that.

But she couldn’t deny that this conversation didn’t make her feel worse. And to top that, it made her feel worse about _herself_.

“Wanna get together this weekend?” He stood and made his way back to the side of the table he had been sitting at previously and Sakura stared at him. “The theater department is playing old movies in the quad. I’m sure Naruto and Hinata will want to tag along.”

“Sure.” The answer was like an automatic response that her brain just was used to making. There was no thought to it. Just a simple _sure_. Clearing her throat, she grabbed her purse and stood to her feet as he pulled his notes closer to him. “That sounds fun.”

Her hands were digging into the contents of her purse before she was even at the door. She curled her fingers around her cell phone and forced a smile as she turned back to face Sasuke. “Well, good luck studying. I should probably go do the same.”

The smile he returned to her was genuine, but still had that underlying pitying feel to it. “You should. And don’t be so down about the semester. Everyone needs some time to work things out.”

Sakura pushed the door open behind her and stepped out, throwing a quick _goodbye_ to Sasuke. As soon as the door slammed shut behind her, she let out a breath and closed her eyes. She hadn’t realized how warm she had become in that room. Sweat had started to build up beneath the wire of her bra and she could feel it at the small of her back from where the chair had been pressed. 

But now, back out in the recreational area, back to where the group of guys were _still_ carrying on noisily around the air hockey table, she felt better. She felt as if she could breathe again and while nothing had been resolved—or nothing had _changed_ really, she felt better. She knew a few answers to the questions she had been asking herself when it came to Sasuke.

They weren't in a relationship.

She was free to do whatever she wanted. And that was exactly what she was going to do. 

By the time she was pushing her way out of the building and stepping out into the east side of the campus, she had pulled up a text message to the number that was still not saved into her contacts and started typing.

_So, what should I wear Thursday?_

* * *


	10. Tease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know I promised some delicious things in this chapter but god, it was starting to get so long. So I split it up. I'm still working on the second part, but I figured as a treat, I would let you read the first part of the chapter today ^_^ I hope you enjoy it!

.

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* * *

Thursday brought an overcast sky and random bursts of rainstorms that had continued on through the afternoon. This kind of weather usually made Sakura's mood plummet but there was nothing short of a nuclear blast that could dampen her spirits today. Nervous energy ran rampant through her, leaving her tingling and feeling electric.

She had stood in front of her mirror for nearly half an hour after her shower, just staring at herself. It had started off as one of those miserable self-conscious episodes where she picked out every little thing she hated about her body; her flat chest, how narrow her hips were compared to other girls.

But her negative thoughts faded as she instead turned her focus to the fantasies that hadn't left her head for the past few days. Even during class, when she hoped she could find some peace from the aching within her, she thought about what Thursday night could bring. Would she be brave enough to do the things in her fantasies?

Could she let Kakashi do what he wanted with her?

The mere thought of it made that electric tingle spread throughout her body once again and she stared at her naked reflection. Sakura turned to the left and ran a hand down her waist and around to the smooth skin between her legs. As much as she'd been dying to relieve a little of her tension earlier that day, she knew it would be more rewarding to have someone else do it.

If she could bring herself to actually get to that point.

Each time she thought of Kakashi's hands--or face--between her legs, her cheeks lit up with warmth and now was no different. She pulled her hands away from her body and slipped into a pair of panties; a black, lacy pair that she had bought in hopes that Sasuke would be the one to pull them off of her. How strange it was to think that someone else entirely could be doing that tonight.

Unlike the first dinner she had gone to with Kakashi, she didn't need Ino around to help calm her down and pick a decent outfit. However, the girl had a radar for this kind of thing and a memory that made it difficult for Sakura to get away with anything. And she wasn't at all surprised to turn away from her mirror and find her cell phone vibrating on her desk.

Sakura swiped to answer the call and cradled the device between her ear and shoulder as she answered. "Is this going to be a call I should have ignored?"

"You better not ever ignore my calls, Forehead." Ino's sharp tone made Sakura grin and she slipped her arms into her bra and snapped it at her back. "You don't sound as flustered this time around. What gives? I thought this guy made your brain turn to mush."

Rolling her eyes, she slipped her crimson sweater over her head and switched her phone to the opposite ear. "How many times do I have to tell you that this isn't a big deal. I'm just going to a dinner party to talk to some people."

For a moment, Ino was quiet but didn't stay that way for long. "What are you wearing to this no big deal dinner party?"

That question reminded her of the brief, if not extremely flirtatious series of texts she and Kakashi had shared the day before. Sakura had asked him what she should wear to dinner and he had responded with an answer that nearly made her knees hit the sidewalk outside of Sasuke's dorm.

_So, what should I wear Thursday?   
  
_ **Would you prefer me to answer that like a gentleman or...  
**  
_What's the other option?  
_  
**It's a bit naughtier  
**  
_Surprise me  
_  
**I've always been partial to skirts, but that's because I like something with easy access. Don't feel obligated to please me**  
**But I wouldn't mind if you did**

"Some overalls and a sweater," Sakura answered with a click of the buckles over her chest and smiled at her best friend's silence. She knew that Ino was in her room, trying hard to analyze the outfit choice as well as Sakura's tone. Calm, reasonable answer and a comfortable, relaxed outfit? That didn't fit the narrative that she'd been building up in her mind.

"Pants or a skirt?"

"Well, since I'm not going to paint the walls while I'm there, I decided on a skirt. I do want to look nice, you know?"

"Nice for the dinner, or nice for Kakashi?" The emphasis on his name made her clench her jaw, while just hearing it made her stomach swell with butterflies. Sakura had enough of this by now. After the little stunt Ino had pulled on Tuesday, Sakura wasn't letting her friends get away with teasing her about this. Well, not without a little teasing of her own anyway.

"I seem to recall someone dressing nice for Sai not too long ago. Should we talk about that?"

Ino sniffed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, now you don't want to talk about it? How convenient for you." Sakura switched the call to the speakerphone and set it down on her dresser. With the rain outside, there was no point in trying to keep her hair straight or curled. She just hoped she could make her ponytail look effortless and cute while also trying to hide the frizz that this kind of weather brought to the ends of her hair.

"Okay, okay. I can take a hint."

"Could've fooled me."

"Oh, shut up. It's not my fault that you've got the best option for gossip this semester." On the other end of the call, she sighed heavily and Sakura could hear her friend turn down the music playing in her room. "Just know that if you turn this guy down, Tenten is chomping at the bit for him."

Sakura's first instinct was to laugh, but her hand paused as she slid one hoop earring halfway into her ear. Jealousy was sudden and suffocating as it tightened around her chest unexpectedly. Doing her best to shake it off, she snapped the clasp onto the back of the earring and snatched the other one from the bowl on her dresser. "Yeah, well, Tenten doesn't know what she's getting into."

Her eyes darted to her reflection in the mirror and she winced at the silence that met her on the phone. She tapped the screen to make sure the call hadn't been dropped and a second later, Ino's voice cut through the quiet. "What does that mean?"

"I thought we weren't going to talk about this anymore."

"Well, that was before you said that."

Sakura rolled her eyes and scrambled for something passive to say, something that wouldn't give away the jealousy still sitting like a cold, wet blanket over her shoulders. "Kakashi is...intense. He has tattoos and listens to metal music and is kind of a major player. I don't think he's her type."

"Oh." That one syllable response told Sakura everything about what Ino was thinking. She could practically see the wheels turning in the girl's mind and Sakura was sure she wouldn’t like the picture those puzzle pieces would make. Before Ino could respond with something else that would annoy her, Sakura snatched the phone from the dresser and held it closer to her face.

"I gotta go. He's picking me up in ten minutes and I still haven't started my makeup."

It wasn't technically a lie. She hadn't started her makeup, but she wasn't exactly going to wear much of it anyway. She didn't like making a habit of wearing makeup for guys, especially when she rarely wore much of it prior to having a boyfriend...or whatever she currently had with Kakashi and Sasuke.

Of course, thinking about that would put a damper on her mood and she had been trying so hard not to let herself think about labels and meanings the past few days. Her conversation with Sasuke had been...lacking, to say the least, but it was enough for her to make a decision about things. And while he was treating her like last Friday had never happened and they were back to their weird definition of normal, Sakura was sure that he had no claims over her.

They were just hanging out.

Having fun.

Whatever that meant.

And she wasn't going to stop hanging out with him if he wanted her with him. She would hold his hand and joke around with Hinata and Naruto on their slightly awkward double dates and when the night would end, she wouldn't push him to give her what she wanted. Because she had someone else for that now.

Potentially, anyway.

Sakura ran her lip gloss over her lips and popped them in her reflection. She allowed herself a bit of mascara and checked herself over for a final time as she slipped her feet into a pair of flats. He was going to tower over her if she wasn't wearing heels, but a part of her liked how much taller he was. She liked looking up at him.

And in exactly five minutes, she'd be looking up at him once more in person. Knowing she was going to be back in his car, back where she had crawled onto his lap and kissed him, was making her feel a bit dizzy and she had to close her eyes and take a deep breath to calm herself down. She was beginning to regret not relieving some of this ache earlier in the day.

If she was getting this turned on by a memory, then what was going to happen when she was actually in his presence? There was no time to do it now and she looked back at her bed in regret, though a part of her was thrilled at the idea of letting this feeling build for a few more hours.

If she could even last that long.

She might jump him as soon as she got into his car.

Sakura rolled her eyes at herself and grabbed her phone and wallet, slipping them into her purse. She could control herself. She was one hundred and ten percent in control of herself and she wasn't about to let one handsome man make her so flustered that she lost control and jumped him in the parking lot of her dorm.

That wasn't who she was and wasn't who she was going to be.

No matter how horny she got, she wasn't going to fuck him for the first time in a car.

With her face flushing at the thought, Sakura left her dorm room and hurried down to the lobby of the building. There was a study session going on in the recreation area and the television was playing a documentary while four girls scrambled to take notes. Sakura ignored them and pushed her way out onto the covered patio outside.

The rain had settled into a drizzle that brought a drop in temperatures and she was thankful she had selected one of the thicker sweaters she had to wear. Sakura hugged her waist and sat down on one of the benches set up outside for the smokers. Thankfully there were none standing around today and she took a deep breath of the cool air, hoping it would ease some of the heat she felt inside.

While punctuality was something she appreciated and looked for in a person, she was actually thankful that Kakashi was running late. It gave her a few more minutes to compose herself, to get her thoughts under control and she needed it. Her head felt like a jumbled wreck all of a sudden. She didn't know what had happened.

She'd been doing so well back in her room. Sure there were moments of panic but she had managed to smooth things over with herself and take a few breaths. But now...She felt the same nervousness from the last Thursday she had joined Kakashi for dinner come flooding back with a vengeance.

Knowing what she knew about him this time around, knowing that his friends would all be in that basement after dinner, knowing they might invite her to join this time, was enough to make her feel smothered. Fuck, was it too late to call and cancel? Would she even allow herself to do that?

It seemed like at this point, there were two people inside her when it came to Kakashi. There was her, the same ole Sakura that she'd always been. But now there was someone new; someone who wasn't afraid to cross that line between fear andtand curiosity get what she wanted. She didn’t know which one of these people she preferred to be and having to choose between them was starting to annoy her. Why couldn’t she just be normal?

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar black car pulling into the parking lot and she turned to watch it pull up to the curb while her heart leapt into her throat, beating wildly. Somehow, she managed to stand to her feet just as the car came to a stop. Behind the tinted windows, she could feel him staring at her and it sent fire spreading over her skin.

Slowly, she took one step and then another and before she had managed to take a breath, she was halfway down the steps leading to the parking lot. The drizzling had stopped but the sky was still dark from the thick clouds hanging low, ready to drop more rain at any moment. There were drops collected across the flat planes of his car and from a few steps away, Sakura could hear his music playing loudly from within.

Her fingers curled around the handle and the door opened. She noticed his hand reaching for the volume, turning it down low as she dropped into the passenger seat. Despite absolutely no sun shining through the clouds, he still wore a pair of sunglasses, and the grin he gave her filled her stomach with a mass of fluttering butterflies.

The door shut with a thump of finality--no turning back now--and he dropped his hand to the gear shift between them, though he didn't put the car in drive just yet. He reached for a small compartment below the radio and pulled out another pair of sunglasses. Sakura stared at them before her eyebrow arched in question.

"You do know it's raining outside, right?"

"I had no idea," he responded in a deadpan tone. "I got them for you after you were nearly blinded by the sun last time."

Her lips parted in surprise and she reached to take the glasses from him. Their fingertips briefly touched and she would have taken a moment to properly freak out about that had she not been completely caught off guard by him buying her something. "You got these for me?"

"Sort of," he said, shifting the car into drive. He pulled them away from the curb and drove out of the parking lot. "I had an extra pair lying around."

An extra pair he had lying around? Or an extra pair that some girl left behind? Sakura inspected them for a moment and felt satisfied that they were men's sunglasses before she slipped them on. Kakashi pulled to the stop sign in front of the dorm building and looked at her as she smiled.

"How do I look?"

Even through the dark shades over her eyes, she could see his grin stretch to reveal his wolfish smile. "Good enough to eat." He emphasized the last syllable with a sharp snap of his teeth. It made Sakura's eyes widen and she had to turn away so he couldn't see her bite down on her bottom lip.

She wrung her hands in her lap and turned to face the window, not concentrating on much aside from the small droplets still clinging to the glass. They raced down the window and Sakura followed a few of them as she tried to ignore this awkward nervousness that had reared its ugly head. Her throat felt tight around the words she was so desperate to fill the silence with and it became too hard to hold them back.

She whipped her head back to face him in the driver’s seat and pulled the sunglasses off her face, folding them and putting them in her lap. With a nod to the radio, she spoke up. “So, what are we listening to?”

Kakashi’s eyebrow lifted slightly and he turned the blinker on before slowing into the left lane to make a turn. “Do you not like it?”

“It’s just not what I’m used to listening to.”

“And what are you used to listening to?”

There he goes again, answering questions with questions, constantly trying to get information out of her while avoiding giving her any. Sakura pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulder. “I guess whatever is on the radio. I don’t usually hear this kind of music, you know?”

“Would you prefer I turn it off?” He made the turn onto a narrow road that led away from the hustle and bustle of the highway. The buildings here were more residential than business and Sakura’s stomach clenched in anticipation. They were getting closer to that gated neighborhood and the gorgeous house within it that hid so many secrets behind the front door. 

“No,” she managed to croak, bringing her hand to her throat as she swallowed. “Of course not. I don’t mind broadening my tastes and besides, it’s your car. You shouldn’t let me dictate what we listen to just because this isn’t what I’m used to.”

This time, Kakashi glanced her out of the side of his eye and hummed. “You’re nervous again. I thought we were past being nervous.”

She blinked at him. Was she that transparent...or was he just that good at reading people? He would give Ino a run for her money in that department. “We are past it. I just…” She bit the inside of her lip in worry as he came to a stop sign and paused for a moment to listen to her. “I told you. You fluster me.”

“Sakura,” he purred, his voice dropping in volume. She could only stare as he draped his hand over her knee--her bare knee. His palm was warm and she was hyper aware of every point on her knee that his fingers touched. It was suddenly too much and she held her breath, waiting for him to speak because there was no way she was going to be able to make a sound. “Relax. There are no expectations tonight, no reasons to be nervous. Everyone is excited you’re coming back and I told you...don’t feel pressured to stick around after dinner. I may tease you about it, but I'm capable of keeping my hands to myself and taking you back to your dorm like a perfect gentleman if that's what you want."

She found herself nodding but it was hard to concentrate on his reassurances when he was still touching her. It was an innocent gesture, one that under normal circumstances would only make butterflies erupt inside her. But she had stupidly refrained from relieving her hormone-driven tension and this innocent touch was so much more. And it didn’t help one bit that he was still staring at her.

“Is that what you want?” His voice made her suck in a breath and she lifted her eyes from his hand to face. She cursed those sunglasses. Her fingers itched to reach up and take them off of him. 

Despite her body screaming at her to tell him that no, she did not want him to take her back to her dorm after dinner, she swallowed back the demands of her aroused inner-self and gave him a shy smile. She hated feeling so timid when he was so self-assured. “We’ll see.”

He didn’t say anything in return but he didn’t have to. She saw his satisfaction in the curl of his lips and as much as she wanted to protest him taking his hand away from her knee, she stayed quiet and let him continue driving. He was far too cute for his own good. That smile that hid so much behind it yet told her exactly what she wanted to know was just begging to be kissed and she wanted to so badly she had to sit on her hands to keep herself from grabbing him.

After he took another right onto a quiet street with hedges lining each side, Sakura was finally able to move. She lifted a hand and gestured to the radio. “I do like the music by the way. It suits you.”

“Is that so?” Kakashi slowed into a turn lane and ahead, Sakura could see the iron gates of the neighborhood coming up. “Wanna know a secret?”

“S-sure.”

“It’s not even my CD.” He pulled up to the gate and rolled his window down, turning to grin at her. “A friend left it in my car last week and I’ve been too lazy to change it out.” 

Sakura stared at him as he punched in a passcode on the small, number box near the road and as the gates swung open, she scoffed. “Wow. Now that is lazy.”

He responded by turning the volume up on the radio and the music filled the silence that fell between them. The last time they had driven this road was the night she had made him turn around and take her back to the house. She had very nearly missed her opportunity to see the secrets of the after party and as bizarre as everything had been since, she was glad she had been able to see it. 

It felt as if she were part of the secret even if she didn’t participate…

Yet, a small voice in the back of her head whispered and she chose to ignore it. She was already wound tight enough. She didn’t need little voices in her head whispering bad ideas into her ear all night, tempting her into doing something she could possibly regret. 

The streets wound through the neighborhood and Sakura didn’t let the large houses intimidate her this time. She sat back in her seat, waiting patiently for the cul-de-sac where Jiraiya’s home sat. Though the sun was nowhere to be found, and the enormous, ancient trees wove a canopy of branches overhead, she immediately recognized the driveway. 

Several cars were parked and two were sitting in the curve of the cul-de-sac right in front of the house. There seemed to be more people than last time and she sat up in her seat to stare at the four cars. One she had seen last week in the parking lot of the University and she felt relief at the idea that Asuma and Kurenai were here. 

It was always easy when there were familiar faces to see in a crowd. And while she was sure that Kakashi wouldn’t leave her alone for too long, Sakura was glad she had the option to carry on a conversation with someone else if she had to. 

Kakashi pulled into the driveway behind the familiar sedan and Sakura was already reaching for the buckle of her seatbelt when he chuckled. She looked up at him as he turned the key in the ignition and pulled his sunglasses off. “Oh, you’re not so nervous now?”

“Still nervous,” she admitted with a smile. “But someone once told me that I have to turn my fear into curiosity to get what I want.” They both got out of the car and shut the doors. He watched her from over the hood and his eyes never left hers as they met between the fender of his sedan and the bumper of Asuma’s. There was a strange look on his face, one that immediately sent Sakura’s heart racing and warmth slowly sinking into the corners of her body. 

The lights from the house didn’t quite reach the driveway and where they stood was just a bit more shadowed than the rest of the yard. Kakashi stepped closer to Sakura and searched her eyes. A smile lingered in the corner of his lips but didn’t meet the darkness in his eyes and she felt frozen to the spot, staring up at him, trapped by his gaze.

She could feel the air shift and suddenly, his hand was against her face and his thumb brushed over her bottom lip, pulling it down gently. Every fiber of her being was coming undone at the seams and Sakura clenched her jaws to keep from whimpering against his touch. The pavement beneath her feet felt as if it were sinking away and she nearly reached out to catch herself on him.

Kakashi leaned down, his eyes half-lidded as he pushed her chin up with a finger curled beneath it and Sakura felt her breath freeze in her lungs. Just when his lips were close enough to hers that she could feel the warmth of them, could feel his breath, he stopped his descent and met her gaze. She was aware that she was staring at him the way a trapped animal would look at the predator chasing it and she tried to relax.

It was impossible when he was so close to her and she could smell his cologne. It smelled so damn good.

“Then let’s find out what tonight has in store,” he murmured. Again, the pad of his thumb traced her bottom lip and she couldn’t help the tremble that ran through it. “And maybe we can both get what we want.”

All too suddenly, his hand fell away from her face and he stepped past her, leaving her standing between the cars as if he hadn’t just turned her on so badly she could barely stand it. Sakura clamped her teeth together as well as her thighs and swallowed down the whine that wanted to escape her throat in protest. 

She licked her dry lips and turned on her heel, watching him with a scowl as he left her behind and made his way to the front door. That bastard was doing this on purpose. He was teasing her, knowing she would be drenched and surrounded by people in less than a minute. Well, two could play at that game.

Sakura hurried to catch up with him and as he pressed the code into the lock on the front door, she put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “I know what you’re trying to do.”

“Hmm?” He barely acknowledged her presence at all beside him. 

“You’re trying to tease me before we go inside. I hate to break it to you but it didn’t work. I’m not even phased.” Sakura shook the stray hair from her face and stared straight at the door, waiting for him to reach for the knob and push it open. When he didn’t immediately after unlocking the keypad, Sakura pursed her lips tightly. She refused to look at him, even though he had turned to stare at her and she could practically feel the heat of his gaze searing through her. 

“You think I’m trying to tease you?” Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest and she couldn’t help it. She looked up at him and swallowed her cowardice. Her arms mimicked his and she shifted on her feet, nodding. 

“I do. And it’s not going to work this time. I’m here to enjoy some good food and good company and your attempts at teasing me aren’t going to work.” She was aware that she was repeating herself, mostly to reassure herself that she was strong and in control, but she hoped he bought her lines. “Now, shall we?”

Sakura gestured toward the door, knowing there was no way in hell she was going to be able to make the first step inside. Her legs were already wobbling and she didn’t want him to see her stumble. What she wanted to be right now was cool, calm, and collected...no matter how much she was freaking out inside her head. 

Kakashi arched an eyebrow and reached for the doorknob, twisting it to push it open. He stepped to the side to let her pass in front of him and she took careful steps to keep up her confident appearance. Of course, all of it crumbled as his fingers curled around her wrist as she passed and he spun her back to face him. 

Caught off guard, Sakura reached out and gripped the sleeve of his shirt to steady herself and blinked up at his face. He caught her neck with his free hand and she felt his fingers slip around the back of her head to weave through the hair beneath her ponytail. She was the complete opposite of calm, cool, and collected at that moment that it was almost laughable. Her pulse was in a frenzy. Inside her head, her thoughts were a train speeding to an inevitable crash right into all of the arousal she had pent up over the past week.

And then his lips were on hers and she didn’t even try to hide her whimper this time. With the door standing ajar, and the voices and laughter from inside reaching the front stoop, Sakura melted into his arms. It had been less than a week since she had kissed him last but it felt like the first time all over again. 

There was no build-up to the passion. It erupted all at once and as he urged her lips open with his, tilting her head to the side with the grip he had on her hair, Sakura leaned her body into his. His fingers around her wrist were tight, not bruising but not letting her get away either. As if she’d ever want to. 

Before she even realized she was moving, her back pressed against the door frame and Kakashi pinned her there with a leg pushing between hers. The fabric of her skirt bunched around her hips and there was a faint echo of a thought that this was quite the compromising position they were in, but she honestly couldn’t care if anyone caught them at that moment. All she wanted was to feel his kiss, and taste his tongue against hers, and feel his hands slipping beneath her skirt. She used her grip on him to pull him even closer and she could feel the curve of his lips as he smiled. 

As suddenly as he had kissed her, he stepped away and Sakura sucked in a breath of the cool air. Her head fell back against the door frame behind her and her eyes snapped open in surprise. She could feel how red her lips were and her fingers left his sleeve to reach for her mouth. There was a devious smirk across his face and he pushed a hand through his hair as he lifted an eyebrow at her.

“I suppose,” he started, his voice a bit hoarse and deep. It only turned her on more. “I’ll just have to try harder then.”

* * *


	11. Craving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here's the second part of chapter 10. I'm super nervous, so I really really hope I did it justice and I hope you enjoy it.

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“I suppose,” he started, his voice a bit hoarse and deep. It only turned her on more. “I’ll just have to try harder then.”

Sakura stared at the smirk on Kakashi’s mouth feeling completely dumbfounded. He had just kissed her out of nowhere, had made her nearly forget--or just not care--that they were standing on the doorstep of the house with the door wide open, and then he just stopped? Without another word, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, leaving her behind once again, at a loss for words and hopelessly turned on. That bastard! 

Sakura quickly wiped her smudged lip gloss from the edge of her lips and hurried to catch up with him, quietly shutting the door once she was inside. The voices were louder in the foyer and she suspected that most of his friends were gathered in the kitchen and dining room. Before they got to the kitchen, Kakashi turned and glanced back at her from over his shoulder. The smirk on his face hadn’t faded and she scowled at him.

He laughed, the sound irritating her and turning her on at the same time. It wasn’t fair! He was a master at this game and she was clearly a novice. Was this what it would be like to actually be with him? Constant teasing and arousal? Dripping wet from just his smirk? 

The thought didn’t seem nearly as bad as she knew it should have. God, how had she gone from the timid, shy Sakura she had been at the beginning of summer to standing on the precipice of letting a man she barely knew, a man who irritated and confused her like this dominate her?

“Ah, there he is!” A voice called from inside the kitchen. “Late as always.”

They were late? She hoped it wasn’t because he had lingered outside to kiss her...even if she had been wanting it from the moment she had gotten into his car. As she turned the corner and faced the massive, open kitchen, she found herself smiling at the friendly faces greeting her. 

Sitting around the island in the kitchen, all sipping on glasses of red wine, was Shizune, Hana, and Anko, but there were two new people that Sakura didn't recognize. One of them had his arm draped over Shizune's shoulder and as Sakura glanced at him with a smile, she caught sight of a toothpick pinched between his teeth. There was a brief look that passed over his face as he glanced from Kakashi to her, one that made her steps slow to a stop. She nearly forced herself to look away before his mouth stretched into a grin and he wagged a finger to Kakashi.

"You dog," he called as he stretched an arm around Kakashi, giving him one of those typical bro-hugs that lasted for two pats on the back. "What's it been? Three months?"

"Shut up, Genma," Kakashi said through clenched teeth and Sakura got the feeling they weren't discussing how long it had been since they saw one another. Three months since what? He turned to face her and she caught him rolling his eyes. He opened his mouth, but never got a chance to speak.

"Genma, this is Kakashi's friend Sakura." By now, Shizune had stepped away from the island and moved toward Sakura. She put her hand on her back and steered her closer to the group, letting her take the now empty chair. "Sakura, I think you know Anko, Hana, and I. These other two strangers are Genma and Yamato."

Sakura smiled at them both and reached out to shake their hands. Genma was rather enthusiastic about greeting her, but the same could not be said for the other guy. It wasn't that he was cold or hostile toward her. For the life of her, though, she couldn't get a read on him. His face was passive; not unfriendly, just blank. He shook her hand politely and watched her with a strange intensity that she hadn't been expecting so soon.

And not from a stranger either.

Her gaze quickly flickered to Kakashi as he was pouring a glass of wine. He made his way around the island to stand beside her chair once more and a second later, the glass of wine was passed to her hand. "Don't mind them," he said as he dipped toward her ear. "Genma is a flirt and Yamato is...shy."

Sakura nodded and looked down into the crimson liquid she had been handed. The last time she was here, she had gotten tipsy far too fast off their expensive wine and she knew she had to pace herself this time. Still, she brought it to her lips and took a sip. It was far better than she had been expecting it to be and before she knew it, the glass was half empty.

From across the island, Hana and Anko worked at chopping vegetables and Genma stood between them, questioning them about the meal and if they had any dessert planned. "You know, Genma, you could always _help_ or bring something if you want anything in particular."

He grinned and turned his beer bottle up to finish the last few gulps at once. "Yeah," he said with a breath, his lips stretched into a grin. "But you three are such lovely chefs and I'd hate to step on your toes--hey!"

Anko swung the knife toward him and pointed it at his crotch, making Sakura nearly spit the sip of wine out. She caught a few drops with her palm and wiped her chin.

"Don't bring that patronizing bullshit in this kitchen unless you want to lose something near and dear to you."

The group burst into laughter and Sakura found herself giggling as well. That is until Genma stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Anko's waist. He nuzzled his face into her neck. "Yeah, but I think it's more near and dear to you."

Anko responded with a roll of her eyes and a jab of her elbow into his ribs to make him stumble back. She turned back to the cutting board with the half chopped onion laid out before her and glanced up at Sakura. "Half a beer and he's already drunk and horny."

"Hey, it's been more than half a beer."

"There's some fruit in the fridge, Genma," Hana giggled behind her hand. "If you want something sweet, I brought some peaches and strawberries."

Before Sakura could look away to hide the blush across her face, she felt someone step up to the other side of her chair. She turned to see Shizune's smiling face and felt relieved that it wasn't someone new or Yamato. Luckily he and Kakashi had fallen into a friendly conversation and Sakura smiled at the woman to her right.

"I'm glad you're here," Shizune said, the tops of her cheeks pink from the wine she had been drinking. "Kakashi didn't tell me you were coming until this morning so I didn't have much time to prepare, but--"

The woman turned to the back door that led out into the patio area, now covered in a layer of droplets from all the rain, and Sakura looked away from the backyard. She watched Shizune pick up a black, leather bag from the floor and she pulled a folded piece of paper out from within it. There was a grin on the woman's face as she handed it over to Sakura.

Across the top of the glossy pamphlet were the words '_Senju BioTech Research Internship Opportunities_' and Sakura stared down at the image of a state of the art laboratory. There were phone numbers across the bottom and when she opened it up, there were small paragraphs describing different internship programs the company offered.

Shizune reached for her own wine glass once more and waved her hand. "It's a summer program so it's way too early but I just wanted to bring it to your attention. I hope you don't think I'm being too pushy or overstepping my boundaries--"

"No, not at all!" Sakura shook her head, glancing up at the woman before moving onto the last flap of the pamphlet. "This is great, actually."

"I'm glad you think so. My department gets at least two interns through the program and last year both were hired on once the summer came to an end. I can get you an application if you're interested."

"Yes, please. That would be amazing." Sakura was slightly stunned. If she had thought tonight might be about more than her and Kakashi, she would have tried to focus a bit better. As it were, the alcohol and the lingering effects of their kiss was making it difficult for her to think straight. But she did know that this opportunity could potentially change her life. Folding the pamphlet back, she lifted her head to Shizune and smiled. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. I'm glad you're interested in the program." With a smile, she reached up to gently pat Sakura's cheek before turning her glass up to take a sip, leaving the girl's face flushed. It was strange how things felt much more intimate tonight. Was this just how they were with one another? Sakura wondered if it was the alcohol suddenly making her warm or the energy weaving through the room.

Across from her, Hana and Anko were feeding one another slices of tomatoes and cucumbers while Genma had made his way around to stand next to Yamato and Kakashi. He had an arm draped over one of Yamato's shoulders and Sakura couldn't help watching them, waiting for the man to shove him away. When he didn't, Sakura's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.

"What's that?" A voice at her ear startled her and she blinked up at Kakashi, not realizing he had turned to face her. He slid one hand around the back of her stool and she was suddenly aware that his fingers had found their way to her side where her sweater didn't quite cover her flesh. Kakashi leaned over her shoulder, staring down at the pamphlet in her hands, while Sakura was far too busy focusing on the feel of his fingertips brushing over her bare skin in slow circles.

"It's--" she cleared her throat and turned the pamphlet so he could see it better. "It's an internship opportunity. Shizune's going to get me an application."

"Well, how about that." The corner of his lips lifted as if he knew he had been right all along about finding her some help with his friends. Sakura was appreciative, more than she'd ever be able to tell him, but at that moment, all she could think about was how it felt to have his fingers in her hair and his mouth pressing into hers. Kakashi leaned back to look down at her, searching her eyes before glancing down to her lips. "I told you."

"Yes, you did. I suppose I should listen to you more often."

"Hmm, maybe so." Kakashi lifted his hand from her side and she nearly protested it until he reached up and smoothed the stray hair away from her face. She didn't expect the gesture to make her react this way, but all too suddenly, the room felt as if it melted away and there was nothing but him standing before her. She could still hear the conversation around her, all the laughter and banter, and knew that the others would more than likely say something if she were to kiss him right then...but the need to feel his lips on hers again was starting to become too strong to brush away.

To her surprise, he leaned even closer and let his fingers trace a line from behind her ear along her jaw to her chin. The press of his middle finger beneath her chin tipped her head back and she held her breath. Was he actually going to kiss her right here? In front of everyone? God, she had never wanted anything more than she wanted him.

But the grin stretching across his face dashed her hopes apart and she blinked in surprise as he pulled away and dropped his hand from her face. The rest of the room came back into focus around her and Sakura felt heat light up her cheeks. She swallowed tightly and scowled down at the wine glass sitting on the marble countertop in front of her.

He had told her he was going to try harder to tease her and he had succeeded. How easily she had forgotten that little promise. Oh, he was so cruel to do this to her. She brought her glass to her lips to hide her frown and took another sip as his hand fell away from her chair. As if he hadn’t just cruelly teased her, he strolled across the kitchen to join Hana and Anko while they prepped the food.

Sakura sat and watched him, her foot tapping restlessly against the leg of the stool. From behind her, she could hear the boisterous voice of Asuma as he made his way into the kitchen and a moment later, he joined Kakashi along with Iruka. They both greeted her warmly and she tried her best to return it, though she was still mildly furious at Kakashi for teasing her again.

While he was busy with his friends, Anko and Hana kept Sakura busy with light conversation. They discussed music and movies and Sakura discovered that Hana wasn't much older than she was. Before long, they turned to the subject of Jiraiya's classes and the two of them were able to relate to one another about it. Hana had taken his course her first year at Konoha University and Sakura couldn't help wondering if that was how she had made her way into this group as well.

Did Kakashi scope out the fresh blood through Jiraiya's class and invite young, naive girls to witness his kinky dinner parties? Sakura glanced at him across the room. She truly had no idea who he actually was. He had shown her only the tip of the iceberg of his identity and that thought genuinely frightened her.

How could she trust a person who kept so much of himself shrouded in secret and yet...he had shared some pretty intimate things with her already. But was his sexual side the only part he was going to show her? She was so damn curious about the rest of him and her curiosity was a driving factor behind most of her actions around him. Everything she did and allowed herself to do was just to find out one more thing about him.

So far, the deeper she dug, the more mystery surrounded him.

The group moved into the dining room once Anko declared that there were too many cooks in the kitchen and she needed her space to finish dinner. Sakura took a seat next to Kakashi at the long dining table and was surprised when Genma dropped into the chair beside her. She blinked up at him, watching him switch his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other and when he looked down at her with a wink, her face grew warm.

"So, Sakura was it?" He gave her no time to respond before he leaned forward and nodded toward where Kakashi was sitting on her left. "What's a sweet girl like you doing with someone like him?"

At this, Kakashi scoffed and reached for the wine bottle to refill his glass as well as Sakura's--though she hadn't asked him to. On the other side of Genma, Iruka was chuckling as he watched the banter volley back and forth. "Ignore him," Kakashi said, handing her the glass. "Genma doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut ninety percent of the time and the other ten percent no one listens to what comes out of it."

"So grumpy." Genma clucked his tongue with a shake of his head. "If I had a pretty girl sitting next to me, I think I'd be in a much better mood. Good thing I _do_ have a pretty girl sitting next to me at the moment."

"Funny, I didn't know you felt that way about Iruka."

Sakura was caught in the middle of them and while their bickering made her slightly nervous, she could tell they were picking at one another in good spirits. It felt as if this was a thing that happened at every dinner party the two of them were at. She pursed her lips to keep from laughing and ducked her head.

"Oh, Iruka knows that I think he's pretty."

"Stop it," Iruka cut in with a roll of his eyes. "You're going to make me blush."

Before the three of them could continue with their playful banter, Anko and Hana emerged from the kitchen carrying dishes, and Asuma stood up to help them place each of them down onto the table. The one he sat down right in front of Sakura smelled absolutely delicious and was full of roasted vegetables. Her stomach rumbled at the sight and she glanced down to where Kakashi was moving the bottle of wine to make room for a plate of expertly seasoned chicken. It was a meal to rival the last one and Sakura couldn’t help staring at everything in awe.

"Do you eat like this every time?" She asked Kakashi quietly as she reached for the spoon to scoop some vegetables onto her plate. If this was how she was going to eat every other week, she was going to have to take up running again to work off the extra calories.

"No. Sometimes we order pizza. Anko's been on a cooking kick lately--"

"And you love every minute of it, Hatake." The woman in question said as she waltzed back into the room, carrying two more bottles of wine. She passed one to Iruka and uncorked the other herself.

"You didn't let me finish," he said, scowling up at the woman. "Anko's been on a kick lately and we're all _very_ thankful."

Sakura grinned around her bite of veggies and ate in relative silence while the rest of them carried on enough conversations to make up for it. If it wasn't Genma arguing with Kakashi, it was him and Anko debating some off the wall topic like whether or not life exists on other planets. Both had good points to their argument but in the end, decided to call it a draw when they couldn’t convince the other to change their mind.

Halfway through her meal, Sakura noticed Kakashi refilling her wine glass for the third time and she was thankful that she also had a glass of water to balance it out. Apparently, she wasn't the only one to notice either. As if on cue, the man beside her piped up as soon as Kakashi set her glass back down.

"God damn, Hatake. Are you trying to get the girl drunk?"

"Are you incapable of minding your own business?"

Genma leaned closer to Sakura as she picked up her glass of water. He spoke quietly, but loud enough for Kakashi to definitely hear what he had to say. "Blink twice if you're being held against your will."

She couldn't help the laughter that bubbled from behind her lips and she sputtered into her water, spilling a few drops onto the lap of her skirt. From her left, a napkin fell into her hands and she looked up at Kakashi with a thanks on her lips. She never got to utter a syllable before he addressed Genma's antics.

"You're not half as funny as you think you are."

"Your girl seems to think so."

_Your girl…_

Was that what she was? Kakashi's girl? The thought sent jolts of excitement racing through her and she clamped her bottom lip between her teeth. Kakashi chuckled to himself and shook his head, reaching for his own wine glass. He took a sip and smacked the taste on his lips. "You're a real fucking brat sometimes, you know that Shiranui?"

"Boys," Shizune said with a warning tone from across the table. The look in her eyes resembled one that Sakura had seen on her mother from time to time, usually when Sakura was being quite annoying. "Is this how you behave in front of guests?"

To no one's surprise, Genma ignored the warning and draped his arm over the back of Sakura's chair. Again, he leaned toward her and the smirk on his face turned Sakura's face a shade darker. "You know, he has a thing for brats. He loves it when someone pushes his buttons--"

His arm slipped--though Sakura was almost sure that it had been pushed--off the back of her chair and he righted himself with a chuckle rumbling his throat. When she peeked a glance up at him, he winked and nodded toward the man sitting on the other side of her. It took a moment for his words to sink into her head, but now that they were there, she looked down at her nearly empty plate in thought.

Kakashi liked it when someone pushed his buttons? It made sense. When she had been wary and hesitant around him, he had given her space. When she pushed back and tested him, teased--or at least tried to tease--him the way he did her, he always reacted impulsively. He had kissed her just an hour ago when she had told him his teasing had no effect on her, he had given in to her questioning the night on the phone when she gained enough confidence to push back.

He had even called her a brat that night. He had said he liked it.

The corner of Sakura's lips curled in a small smile and she reached for the glass of water sitting in front of her. She hesitated and instead moved toward the wine glass. Thankfully, the conversations resumed and the bickering between the two men on either side of Sakura ceased. As the subject changed to Kurenai’s due date and Asuma launched into a story about the couple’s struggles with putting the brand new crib together, Sakura pushed her chair back and quietly excused herself.

She didn’t necessarily need to use the bathroom, but she wanted a few moments of quiet to herself without two bickering men surrounding her or the constant reminder that in a short while, these people were going to be coupled up and doing kinky things beyond her comprehension. Despite having only been shown the bathroom once before, Sakura found it easily enough and slipped quietly into the half bath. 

She stood at the pedestal sink and ran the water. The cool trickle felt good against her fingers and she splashed a bit on her flushed cheeks. She was starting to regret drinking so much. And if Kakashi insisted on being her personal waiter, constantly filling her glass when it wasn’t even empty yet, she was going to have to talk to him about it. 

She knew he was more than likely trying to loosen her up, probably lower her inhibitions a bit, but she honestly didn’t need it. Despite being caught between his and Genma’s bickering, she had felt more comfortable tonight than she did the first time. Of course, last time she didn’t know the secret that lay in the depths of this house. 

Glancing up into her reflection, Sakura bit her lower lip and studied herself the way she had earlier while getting ready in her dorm. Pink mottled the tops of her cheeks and she could see the slightly glazed look in her eyes from all the wine. She wasn’t drunk, but just tipsy enough that her confidence was up. No more wine, she told herself. She didn’t want to be out of her head when she got Kakashi alone again.

It was hard enough to keep her thoughts straight around him when she was sober. And as badly as she wanted to continue that kiss they had started earlier, she was still unsure of what the night would bring. 

Ultimately, it came down to the one question that seemed to have been plaguing her for the past few weeks; was sex worth it? Was sex worth ending her relationship with Sasuke over? Was sex worth jumping into some seriously unknown territory with Kakashi? It was always coming down to sex and she was tired of trying to balance the thin line of rope between yes and no to all of her questions. 

It didn’t help that half of her was desperate to answer _yes_ to all of those questions while the other half was holding onto the _no_ with a death grip. 

Sakura shook her head and turned the water off. She relieved herself, washed her hands, and dried them on the hand towel hanging on the wall before slipping back out into the hall. The noise from the dining room carried over into the kitchen and as she rounded the wall separating it from the dining room, she found that the table had been cleared away for the most part in her absence.

Kakashi, Iruka and Yamato were in charge of the dishes tonight and Sakura wondered if it was Anko’s doing or if the men were genuine about helping out. From the entrance of the kitchen, Sakura stood awkwardly to the side and watched Kakashi rinse a dish off in the sink. He lifted his gaze to her and stared at her through a few strands of silver hanging in his face. With a shake of his head to brush the hair away, he straightened and got a better look at her. 

She mirrored his smile and felt that same warmth slithering back through her body under his scrutiny. It easily sank back into the dark corners, casting light in the shadows she usually ignored within herself, shadows she felt too timid to think about. Slowly, she stepped up to the island where the sink was located and stared at Kakashi across from her. “Need any help?”

An arm fell around her shoulders, stopping him from answering her and she didn’t exactly need to turn to see that familiar toothpick poking out from Genma’s teeth. “You’re not going to make your guest wash dishes are you, Hatake?”

“I’m not making her do anything she doesn’t want to do.” 

Sakura met his gaze and had the feeling he wasn’t only talking about the dishes with that remark. Her heart skipped a beat and before she could duck out from beneath Genma’s arm, he turned her toward the double doors leading out of the house onto the patio. “Looks like we both escaped dish duty tonight. C’mon,” he said, reaching for the door handle before pushing it open to the damp patio. “Anko and Asuma need some company.”

The rain had held off since the afternoon and the clouds had parted over the house. Between the streaks of grey, Sakura could see the violet sky with just a few stars dotting the swath of darkness. Sure enough, Anko and Asuma were standing on the patio, smoking their cigarettes and off to the side of the garden Hana and Shizune were admiring the view of the lake stretching at the bottom of the hillside. 

Genma dropped his arm from around her shoulder and leaned against the outdoor table, turning to face her with a lopsided grin. “So, how long have you been coming around?”

“This is my second time here, actually.”

“Oh, so you’re _new_.” Sakura stared at the toothpick as it bobbed up and down with his words. “How much has Hatake told you about these dinner parties?”

“Lay off of her, Genma. She knows.” 

He ignored Asuma’s remark and Sakura was thankful that the outdoor lights weren’t on to shine on her face turning every shade of red. From over Genma’s shoulders, she caught Asuma shaking his head and blowing a cloud of smoke up to the awning covering the table. She faced the man in front of her again and watched his eyebrows raise to the cloth he wore knotted around his head. 

“Ah, they let you in on the secret so soon? Took them two damn months to tell me.”

“That’s because you run your mouth,” Anko chimed in, and once again, Genma ignored the remark.

“You got a role? Or are you new to that as well?” It was quite clear that he was referring to the after-party and Sakura shook the hair from her face and shrugged a shoulder. It felt strange talking to him about this so openly when it still felt like such a secret, especially when she was trying to figure things out about it all. 

“I’m not sure. I guess I’m new to it. Well, I _know_ I’m new to it.” Sakura glanced cautiously over his shoulder, but the other two were wrapped back up in their own conversation. “It was a bit of a shock.”

“But not enough to scare you away, right?” He grinned and she felt herself relax, but only just a fraction. She got the feeling that she shouldn’t let her guard down around someone as flirtatious and playful as Genma. “Hatake seems quite smitten with you.”

Again, her face flushed with warmth and she pursed her lips to keep from smiling like a total idiot. She ducked her head and stared at the tips of her shoes, inches away from his tennis shoes.

“He’s been watching us like a hawk since we walked out here.” Sakura whipped her head up and found Genma staring at something over her shoulder. She started to turn but he put his hands on her shoulders and a grin stretched across his mouth. “Don’t look. It’ll drive him crazy if you don’t.”

“You really know how to push his buttons don’t you?”

“It’s fun because he gets so bent out of shape. He doesn’t show it on the outside though, so you’ve got to look for the subtle ways you’re getting under his skin.” He had her attention now and she leaned closer to him, just an inch.

“Like what?”

“Well, there’s the fact that he’s washed that same plate about four times since we came out here.” He finally looked at her once again and winked. “If you really get under his skin, he goes quiet and just observes.”

“Oh, my God. I’ve noticed that!”

Genma chuckled and reached out once again, taking Sakura by the arms and steering her toward him. For a moment, her heart leapt into her throat and she was afraid he was going to make a move right in front of Kakashi, but he kept his hands on her arms. He guided her to the table so she could sit beside him and from her new position, she could see into the kitchen.

By now, Kakashi had turned his attention back to washing the dishes but she could tell he was doing exactly what Genma had said; quietly observing.

“He thinks I’m trying to make a move on you and he’ll never admit it, but he’s so jealous.”

“Really?” It shouldn’t have amused her this much to tease Kakashi, but she couldn’t deny that she was having fun. Not to mention, she was learning so much information to keep in her arsenal to use against him. “Does he get jealous easily?”

“Only when he really likes someone.” Genma paused and turned to look at her, a strange expression settling across the shadows covering his face. It made her nervous all of a sudden and she shifted against the table behind her. “Or if he’s already claimed someone.”

“What do you mean _claimed_?”

His laugh was a deep, quick rumble through his chest, and Sakura felt herself swallowing tightly. She looked through the doors and back into the kitchen. Kakashi had finished his duties at the sink and stood near the fridge, arms crossed over his chest as he appeared to be listening to whatever Iruka and Yamato were discussing. Sakura knew better though. He wasn’t paying attention to anything but _her_.

“You do know what he’s into, right? What kind of role he likes to play?” She couldn’t look away from Kakashi even as Genma asked her the questions. Instead of answering him out loud, she found herself nodding. "Doms like Kakashi are a different breed. He keeps his focus on one person at a time and he can be...intense."

That was exactly how she had described him to Ino earlier and it was the perfect description for him. Even now, out of her presence, he still stared at her with an intensity that she could feel as if he were standing right next to her. She felt her gaze shift up to meet Kakashi's and her breath froze in her lungs.

"But--" Genma's voice startled her and she blinked out of the daze she had fallen under. "He's careful. He won't hurt you--unless you ask him to, of course."

Sakura glanced up at Genma and scoffed. "You know all of this from experience?"

"With Hatake? Unfortunately not." He paused to laugh and crossed his arms over his chest. "I've known him for a few years though and I've had my fair share of doms in my time."

It took a couple of seconds for those pieces to click in her head, something she blamed on too much wine, but once they did, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She nearly slipped off the edge of the table as she turned to face him. Genma was...a sub? It didn't make sense to her and yet, at the same time, it made perfect sense. He was so flirty and had such a strong personality that she would have assumed he would take on the dominant role well.

But he was such a brat, and clearly loved being one.

She wondered just how many doms he had annoyed over the years. Blinking away her surprise, she nodded and stared down at her feet. The conversation had sobered her up a bit and the warmth that had been surrounding her all night had finally started to fade. She pulled her feet in as Anko and Asuma passed, still deep in conversation.

They joined the others in the kitchen and while Sakura knew if she looked up, she would find Kakashi staring at her, she couldn't bring herself to. Not until she had cooled off a bit more. A moment later, Hana and Shizune passed by and Genma held his foot out to play as though he was trying to trip them and they both turned to him with a scowl.

"Watch yourself with this one, Sakura," Shizune said, reaching out to lightly smack Genma in the shoulder. "He can be hard to handle."

"Oh, you love it."

The two of them crossed back into the kitchen and Sakura stared after them. Through the crowd, she could see Kakashi still leaning against the counter, his attention on whatever Asuma was currently discussing with him. He stepped aside to let Hana reach for the fruit she had brought for dessert and Anko and Shizune passed in front of him, blocking Sakura's view.

She sniffed and turned back to Genma. "Do they all...you know, _together_? I mean, I know Asuma and Kurenai are in a relationship and they're open, or whatever. But, how do you all deal with jealousy, and who gets who?"

He took a deep breath and shook his head as he blew it out slowly. "That's hard to explain. Some people don't play well together because they don't make a good dynamic. Two subs would just wait around for the other to do something and never get anything out of it and two doms would just be a mess. As for the jealousy, for the most part, what happens there in that room, stays there. None of us are going to try to take Asuma or Kurenai away from one another, or anyone else for that matter."

It's almost the same as what Kakashi had told her that night sitting in his car when she had wanted to ask him a million questions. She understood the dynamics for the most part--though she didn't exactly see how things couldn't get messy from time to time. And messy was the absolute opposite thing from what she wanted right now.

Every time she thought she could do this, that one of her questions was answered, a new thought would roll over and complicate things all over again. She frowned and stared down at her hands, not sure if she even wanted to talk about this anymore. Maybe she could ask Kakashi to take her home and just make out for a while in his car.

Would he even want to do something like that? It seemed so...childish compared to what he was truly into.

"Look," Genma said again, pulling her attention back up to him. He stepped away from the table and faced her, a smile on his face. "I can tell you're trying to deal with all of this and if Hatake wasn't so impatient, you could have been eased into it a bit better. But no one's going to force you into anything. If you don't want to be part of _that_, we're still fun as hell to hang out with."

"I know. And I do have fun when I'm here." She looked back through the doors into the kitchen where everyone was still gathered around the island. The fruit Hana had brought was being passed around and Anko was slicing strawberries on the cutting board. "I just...I don't know if I'm that kind of person."

"Hey, you'll never know if you don't try it out." He glanced into the kitchen from over his shoulder and clapped his hands together. When he turned back to face her, he was grinning. "Now, I need to go get on Anko's good side before she makes it so I can't sit for a week if you know what I mean."

Sakura knew exactly what he meant and flashes of the memory of seeing Anko paddling Hana's backside came flooding back through her head. She nodded and watched Genma turn to join his friends and as he stepped to the side, wrapping his arms around Anko's waist to plant a firm kiss to her cheek, Sakura felt someone staring at her.

It didn't take long to find who it was and she stayed still, not sure if she could move even if she wanted to, while Kakashi watched her. He still stood in the kitchen, though he wasn't part of the group conversation. His arms were crossed over his chest but Sakura could see, just over Anko's shoulder, that he was holding a peach in his hand.

The pink and orange skin was a contrast against the black shirt he wore and Sakura thought back to her last writing assignment. He had written on her paper '_why am I suddenly craving a peach?_'. Apparently he was still craving it.

Sakura put her hands on the table and started to push away from it, but was momentarily frozen to the spot. She watched him lift the fruit to his mouth, holding it so close to his lips that she wondered if he could feel the velvet fuzz. His eyes never left hers as he took a bite. It was a slow, deliberate move that he knew would spark all sorts of dirty things in her head. And he was right.

Slowly, she relaxed back against the table and let her gaze fall from his eyes to the drop of juice rolling down the corner of his lips. He wiped his middle two fingers over it and cleaned them off with a swipe of his tongue.

There was no chance of cooling off now. She felt as if someone had lit a fire beneath her all of a sudden and her lips parted in a desperate attempt to suck in more air. It was no use. The heat was consuming everything in its path and she was stuck, no chance of getting out of its way.

Kakashi brought the peach back to his lips, though this time, he didn't take a bite. He ran his tongue over the bite he had taken, slowly savoring every drop of juice. Sakura felt as if she were watching a dirty movie and her parents would walk into the room to catch her at any moment. But she was so turned on again that she didn't dare look away.

She stared at his fingers curled delicately around the fruit and the way that some of the juices dripped down the back of his knuckles. She wanted to suck it off of him, wanted to taste him and the fruit on her tongue. There was no way she would be satisfied with just making out with him now. Not after he did this.

Was this his way of getting back at her for being a part of all of Genma's teasing?

A part of her was perfectly fine with sitting there, watching him please that peach for the next few hours, but someone crossed in front of Kakashi, breaking her line of sight and she blinked with a frown. Her legs felt wobbly as she finally stood to her feet and she could feel the dampness in her panties.

God, how did he turn her on so badly? Was it even normal to be _this_ aroused, this _wet_ from watching a man eat a peach? Sure, he was one of the hottest men she's ever seen in real life, and yeah, she knew how skilled he was at _kissing_, so her imagination could fill in the rest about how good he was using his tongue in other places but this feeling ignited inside her was unbearable.

Though her steps were a bit shaky, she managed to step back into the house and could feel Kakashi's gaze burning over her as she moved around the edge of the group still gathered in the kitchen. She was faintly aware that Anko and Genma were sharing a piece of fruit between their mouths and Asuma was making a bet on how long it would be before they were at each other's throats. But all of Sakura's attention was on one person and the half-eaten peach held in his hands.

As she stepped closer to Kakashi, he turned to face her and held the peach out to her. "Want a taste?"

_Yes, she did._

She wanted a taste of anything he had to offer her. Nodding, Sakura brought her mouth to the peach and took a small bite close to where he had taken a few earlier. It was sweet on her tongue and she reached up to catch a drop of the juice as it rolled down her bottom lip and onto her chin. Still, she was sure that tasting him would be better than any piece of fruit she could put in her mouth.

Kakashi stared down at her with his gaze half-lidded, watching her catch some of the wetness from her lip with her tongue. All she could think about was watching him do the same between her legs. Fucking hell, what was in this fruit? Did they have some sort of aphrodisiac laced inside them? She had never taken drugs before, but she was almost certain they would feel like this.

She felt weightless and at the same time, heavy with desire. It anchored her to the tile floor beneath her feet, while her head felt as light as a balloon. As much as she wanted to stand there, letting him feed her delicious fruit, she wanted to pull Kakashi away from everyone to talk to him privately. She glanced at the others and wasn't exactly surprised to see Anko's fingers tangled in Genma's hair as they shared a deep kiss. None of the others seemed too phased by what was happening and she turned back to Kakashi.

She couldn't quite bring herself to look up into his eyes, knowing if she did, she wouldn't be able to look away or think straight. Instead, Sakura focused on the fabric of his dark shirt and the way it stretched across his chest. Somehow, she was able to find her voice. "Can we talk somewhere?"

"In private?"

Sakura nodded, feeling drunk or high off of this desire. If it hadn't been for him taking her by the hand and pulling her into the foyer of the house, she didn't think she'd be able to move. They stood near the front door and Sakura blinked up at him, finally meeting his gaze. Kakashi took another bite of the peach, making her swallow tightly.

Why did he have to do that when she was trying to think? It was already hard enough trying to concentrate but now she had to do it while watching him lick at the sweet droplets on his bottom lip? This was torture and he knew it.

The doubt and confusion were cloudy in her head, making her thoughts as jumbled and flustered as always. Neither side of her could make up its mind, could come to a decision about what she wanted and she was caught in the middle as always. She kept her gaze on his lips and tried to ignore how her fingers tingled with want. With her chin trembling, she opened her mouth though she had no idea what she was even going to say. Luckily, the warring sides in her head came to a mutual decision and she found her voice.

"I want to try it."

That was not what she had been expecting to say and she frowned. Her gaze lifted to meet Kakashi's and he narrowed his eyes, the space between his brows pinching. "Try what?"

"_Everything_," she said in a single breath. There was no stopping it now. She was finally saying exactly what she had been so afraid to say for the past two weeks. "I want to know what it feels like to be submissive, to be tied up and dominated by you and..."

The look in Kakashi's eyes made her lips snap shut and she bit the inside of her cheek. He was quiet, staring at her with an intensity that she didn't expect. It was tension and want and a craving she had never seen before and it left her breathless. She could feel a slight tremble in her knees as they continued to stand there, staring at one another.

_Say something!_ She wanted to shout at him, to smack him to make him react. This was an all-new kind of torture and she was starting to reach her limit.

"Well," he said quietly, breaking the silence and making her jump slightly. "We can draw out the contract tonight." Sakura closed her eyes as he reached out and brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek and down to her jaw. When he tilted her head back with his fingers, she opened her eyes to stare at him and nearly whimpered. The look in his eyes sent a rush of heat searing through her midsection. "Or, we can do all that in the morning, and tonight I can show you how I reward good girls."

She was nodding before she could even properly form a response in her head. There was no way she would be able to think coherently enough to answer him but Kakashi didn't need her to speak. He took her hand and pulled her back toward the kitchen where the others were still gathered around the island.

From the entryway, Sakura could see a few faces turn toward them, but none made a comment. Kakashi paused long enough to toss the half-eaten peach in the trash and he was taking her hand once more. Without a word of explanation to any of them, he took her back into the hall and Sakura's heart leapt into her throat.

She wanted him, but she didn't want to go down to the basement. Not yet anyway. "Wait," she said, making him turn to face her. "Can it just be me and you tonight?"

"Oh, there's no way I'm sharing you with anyone."

He continued on, moving past the door leading to the basement and Sakura hurried to follow him up the stairs leading to the second level. This part of the house hadn't been on the tour the first night and she put a hand to her chest as they reached the landing. It was dark on this level, but it branched out in both directions. To the right, two doors were shut and to the left, Sakura could see an open area with couches and a television set up. There were a few doors there as well, but that was not where Kakashi led her to.

The lights stayed off and she wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. She felt very much like she was walking into a hungry wolf's den. Maybe she was.

The room he pulled her into was a bedroom. She could see the outline of a bed against the back wall and a dresser was across from it right next to the door. Once it shut behind her, she jumped and whirled around to face Kakashi. He reached over and turned a light switch on, though it wasn't the overhead light that lit up. A lamp on the bedside table cast a soft glow on the room and Sakura wanted to take a look around.

But that wasn't possible when he was standing right in front of her, staring down at her like he was craving something much different than a peach now. In two steps, Kakashi closed the distance between them and took her face in his hands. He guided her head up and she was able to suck in a short breath before he was kissing her.

It wasn't like the kiss he had given her at the front door. That had been sudden and meant to tease her. This was different. He took his time with her and when Sakura grew impatient with taking things slow, he slowed things down more. His lips brushed over hers, keeping just enough distance away to infuriate her.

Sakura snaked her hands up his chest and curled her fingers around the collar of his shirt. She pulled him down to her and decided that if he wasn't going to kiss her the way she was desperate for, then she would be the one to take the lead. Of course, he didn't let her.

Much to her disappointment, he pulled away and wrapped his fingers around her wrists, pulling her hands away from his shirt. "What's the rush?" He asked, his voice deep and sinking deliciously into her head.

Already, she was panting for breath and her eyes darted up to meet his. She wanted to tell him that she's needed this for weeks, but he should know that by now. Why was he being so stubborn? Frowning, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again and was met with more disappointment. He pulled away with a chuckle and held her in place with his grip on her wrists.

"As much as I like kissing you, I thought we were going to do a little more than that," she admitted, hoping he would get the hint.

Kakashi grinned and walked her back further into the room. She felt the soft comforter covering the bed brush against the back of her legs and took her bottom lip between her teeth. Didn't he want to throw her back on the bed and fuck her senseless?

"Sakura," he murmured, making her stomach clench tightly with desire. "We have all night and trust me, you're going to get so much more than kissing. But I like to take my time and savor every last drop."

His lips were on hers again and this time, he gave in just a little more. The grip on her wrists loosened and he let her pull him closer. She slipped her hand around his neck and raked her nails over the hair at the back of his head, pulling a groan of satisfaction from his throat. Kakashi circled an arm around her back and held her tightly while he used his other hand to tilt her head to the side.

From this angle, she was able to guide his lips open and was pleasantly surprised when he let her. Their tongues met and Sakura could taste the peach he had eaten earlier, still sweet and suddenly she was craving another bite. As he let his fingers trace down the line of her jaw to her throat, gripping her firmly, she sighed in content.

Kakashi moved to the buckle of her overalls, snapping one strap-free and letting it fall over her shoulder. She was suddenly aware that in a short while, she would be naked in front of him, and panic bubbled inside her chest. Her fingers froze around the hair she had them curled in and she tried not to let him know she was having a mini freakout.

By the time he had unclasped the other strap, he pulled away from their kiss and dropped his lips to her neck. Sakura leaned her head to the side and bit her lip. The way their bodies were pressed together kept her skirt from falling around her ankles and she was thankful that she didn't have to be half-naked just yet.

"Sakura," he whispered against her throat, pausing to kiss her. "I need to ask you something."

"O-okay." Her eyes snapped open to the soft glow from the lamp and she blinked up at the ceiling. He stepped back just enough for her skirt to slip free and fall to the floor and she swallowed down her whimper.

"I mean no offense when I ask this--" his lips inched along her neck, down to her collar bone as he spoke and she could feel the warmth of his breath tickle her sensitive skin. "It's for both of our sake though. Have you ever been tested?"

The medic in her appreciated his ability to think about that while they were in the throes of foreplay. If it had been left up to her, it would have never entered her mind. She did, however, think clearly enough about things back in the summer before she and Sasuke had officially started dating, back when she thought she would be doing this with him.

Nodding, Sakura closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his teeth gently nipping at her collar bone. "Yes, beginning of the summer when I started birth control."

"You're on the pill?"

His hands were dipping down to the hem of her sweater and she braced herself for the touch of them on her bare skin. Pursing her lips, she tried to think about his question. How the hell was he being so logical in a time like this when she was nearly bursting at the seams, filled too full with arousal?

"No, I-I take the shot. Every three months."

"And you're clean?" By now, his hands had reached her ribs and the muscles along her stomach twitched. Only an inch more and he would find her bra, would hopefully slip beneath it and tease her there.

"Yes," she let out in a single breath.

"Good." Kakashi rose to his full height and the absence of his lips on her throat made her gasp in protest. She looked up at him with a frown pinching her brows. Before she could let him know she wanted him close once more, he pulled at the hem of her sweater. It was up and over her head in a blink.

Sakura stood before him in her bra, panties, and the flats she had put on earlier that afternoon and she had never felt more naked. Instantly, her arms crossed over her chest and Kakashi caught them, pulling them back apart. He pointed down to her feet and said, "shoes."

She kicked them off and he slid them and her clothes to the side. When he returned, he let his gaze slowly drift down the length of her body and back up. As soon as his gaze met hers once more, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Take off your bra and panties."

In an instant, her eyebrows shot up and she hesitated. When he told her he was going to show her how he rewards good girls, she thought he'd at least be a little involved with getting her fully naked. As an argument formed on her tongue, she caught sight of the look in his eyes and clamped her lips shut.

Slowly, Sakura reached for the clasp at her back and once it was loosened, she let her bra slip from her shoulders. Her face felt hot and she knew she was blushing from the top of her head down to her toes. She could feel him staring at her, though she didn't dare lift her gaze to check. She stared at the carpet beneath his boots and hooked her thumbs around the elastic band of her panties.

Inch by inch, she pushed them down her legs until they joined her bra at her feet. Her heart was pounding with anticipation and uncertainty and her knees felt like jello as she stood there before him. She waited, hoping he would come back to her and touch her and kiss her, but he did none of those things. However, he _did_ speak and her eyes widened at his command.

"Sit."

Her body responded before her mind could process the word and she lowered herself onto the edge of the bed behind her. Their eye contact never broke and she felt so small beneath his scrutiny.

"I want you to touch yourself."

"What?" This time, her brain had no trouble keeping up and she stared up at him with disbelief. She didn't want to touch herself. She wanted _him_ to touch her!

"I want you to touch yourself."

"No, I heard you, I just don't see why you want me to."

Kakashi took a step toward her and from her new position on the bed, he towered over her even more than usual. To her surprise, he curled his fingers around her chin and forced her to keep her gaze up at him. She swallowed her argument down as he spoke up again, his tone quiet and serious. "I want to know how you touch yourself when you think of me. I want to see your fingers inside you. I want to see the look on your face when you beg for me to take over."

Oh fuck.

If she opened her legs right then, she was sure that she would be dripping wet just from his words. It was clear that he was without a doubt, one hundred percent serious. He wanted her to touch herself and she was surprised by her own hand moving to her legs. It was as though her body no longer waited for her brain to catch up anymore. She was acting on pure adrenaline and desire. He took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest once more, watching and waiting for her to move.

Pulling her knees apart, Sakura clamped her teeth over her bottom lip and slid her hands over the curve of her thigh. Her fingers traced over the soft, sensitive skin at the bend of her hip and dipped lower. It was something she had done hundreds of times before in her life but it was terrifying doing it in front of someone. And especially when that someone was Kakashi Hatake.

She gulped her trepidation down and opened her legs more, sliding her feet over the plush carpet so he could get a better look. He still hadn't looked away from her face, watching her every reaction. The tips of her middle two fingers found the warmth between her legs and the wetness she knew would be there.

It would be effortless to slip them inside her. If only she wasn't trembling so much. Instead of pushing them into herself, she traced up her to her clit and slid her fingers into the folds. Her legs twitched in response and she sucked in a sharp breath. She watched him, her fingers slowly finding her clit to circle it, as Kakashi's gaze fell from her face, lingering momentarily over her breasts before falling to where her hand was.

Knowing he was watching her do this, the same way she had done it dozens of times the past few weeks with him in mind, was making it hard for her fear and apprehension to find room inside her. Desire was filling her up inside, pushing out all of the doubts and leaving a burning ache in its wake. As much as she wanted Kakashi on his knees in front of her, Sakura was surprised that she was enjoying herself as it was.

She kept the circles she was making over her clit slow and wide, knowing if she went any faster, she wasn't going to last long. She may have been tired of getting orgasms from herself, but she was a professional at it by now. She knew exactly what she wanted and--oh!

Her fingers stilled on herself and she blinked up at Kakashi. That was what he was doing. He was giving himself a front-row view of her own personal pleasure. He wanted to find out exactly how she liked it, all wrapped up and disguised as a command. The realization brought a small smile to her lips and before he could look up and see what had stopped her, she returned to her previous task.

This time, she dipped her fingers lower and found her opening. She slipped into herself slowly, studying Kakashi as he studied her. His arms were still folded over his chest, hands gripping his biceps tightly, and though he was still wearing too many clothes, Sakura couldn't help letting her gaze drop to his pants.

There was definitely a bulge behind his jeans and her eyes went wide at the sight. God, knowing he was turned on by this only made her more into it. She leaned back on the bed and kept herself propped up with an elbow. As he took a step toward her, she bit hard on her lip but didn't stop the slow pumping of her fingers. They were absolutely drenched by now and if she were in her right mind, not drunk with consuming desire, she would have worried about getting it all over the bed.

But there was no room inside her head for worry anymore. Her breath was quicker now and she brought her fingers back to her clit, sliding them back and forth. She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. The heat and tension that had been building all night were starting to coil tightly inside her and she moved faster over herself.

She was so wet and so turned on, knowing he was standing there watching her do this to herself. She wanted to beg for him to take over but knew he wanted this. He had told her to do this and if she was going to be a good sub, then she had to obey him.

A whimper escaped her throat and she gasped, her hips rolling in time with the movements of her fingers. The sound of his voice startled her but she didn't stop.

"Sakura, are you going to come?"

She nodded. There was no use in trying to speak at that moment. To her surprise, Kakashi curled his fingers around her wrist and took her hand away from her clit. Sakura gasped and her eyes snapped open, staring up at him in shock and protest. She had been so close!

Just as her mouth opened to complain, he pulled her hand up to his face, slipped her fingers into his mouth, and sucked the wetness off of them. Her jaw hit her chest as he pulled them free with a slick pop. Her brain had no idea how to process what had just happened but her body was having no trouble reacting properly

She was speechless. And now she was so wet she was dripping down the curve of her ass.

Kakashi leaned over her on the bed, pressing his palm into the mattress right next to her head. His sudden, looming presence made her shrink back into the plush comforter and she felt frozen to it. With the same fingers he had licked the peach juice off of earlier in the kitchen, he reached between her legs and took over.

The tension she had built within herself returned with a force that sent her arching off the bed. Her hands reached for his shoulders and she buried her fingers in the fabric of his shirt as he delicately traced a circle around her clit. Just like he had kissed her moments ago, he was being deliberately slow. He knew she needed more and he was so cruel to make her wait for it. 

A frown pinched her brows and she tried to buck her hips up into his touch. He kept his fingers feather-light against her, barely even touching her at all. “_Tell me_ what you want,” he murmured over her, his voice almost a whisper but so loud in her ears.

“Please,” she begged, again trying to lift into his fingers. 

“Sakura,” he said louder, making her eyes snap open. “Tell me what you want.”

Her lips parted but no sound would come out. Surely he could see that she wasn’t used to this, that she needed time to ease into it. Sakura whimpered, trapped in the exquisite agony. When he pulled his fingers away from her even more, her grip on his shirt tightened and she opened her mouth to speak.

“I want--” she paused to gasp as he pressed his fingers against her clit. “I want you inside me. Y-your fingers inside me.”

She peeked through her eyelids to see him smile seconds before he gave her exactly what she asked for. A strangled cry of pleasure was ripped from her lips and her legs trembled as he stretched her around his middle two fingers. They were much bigger than her own and she wasn’t quite used to this size just yet. Still, he plunged them as deep as they would go and curled them inward, touching a spot inside her she never knew she had. Her feet found the mattress and she pushed her hips into his hand, wanting him to give her everything she wanted. 

Above her, he leaned closer to her and she could feel the tips of his hair tickle her brow. “Is this what you wanted?”

She nodded, too consumed by the feel of his fingers inside her to even care about what he was asking her. Her hips rolled in time with the way he pumped his fingers--still far too slow. Kakashi hummed, the sound deep in his chest and she felt his hair leave her face. He lifted off of her, but still kept his rhythm between her legs. 

“Is this _all_ you want?” 

All she could do was shake her head. She was concentrating too hard on the way his fingers dipped in and out of her to do much else. And god, if he didn’t stop teasing her soon, she was going to explode. 

“You’re _so_ tight,” he hissed, pushing into her once more, deeper this time. “I bet it would feel _so_ good to shove my cock inside you.”

“Yes,” she breathed. Her hands dropped from his shirt and found a new home in her hair. She tangled her fingers through the strands and frantically nodded her head. "_Please_."

Kakashi chuckled and slipped his fingers out of her, drawing a gasp from her throat. Before she could sit up and demand to know why he was no longer touching her, he brought them to her clit and mimicked the motions she had used on herself earlier. Slowly, back and forth, keeping the pressure frustratingly light for her to reach the orgasm she was desperate for.

"Oh, I don't think you've earned that just yet."

The tip of his finger pressed into her and she nearly lifted completely off the bed. She clamped her lips around the moan in her throat but Kakashi had heard a second of it.

"Don't be shy, Sakura. I want to hear you."

Her fingers tightened around her hair and she sobbed. This hadn't been what she had expected when he led her up to the bedroom and she was so frustrated that she almost wanted to touch herself again. This torture was cruel and unusual and she needed relief from it. Soon.

He gave in just a bit, making a tight circle around her clit, drawing out another gasp and a moan from her, quieter than the last but enough to satisfy him. He repeated the same motions, exactly the way she showed him, and when her thighs were trembling and her body was twitching from him, he pushed his fingers back into her.

This time, she didn't try to keep herself quiet. Her moan filled the room, ending in a sharp gasp that pulled a laugh from Kakashi's lips. He stood up, keeping his fingers inside her while letting his other hand trace the curve of her breasts. The warmth of his palms on her tightened nipples seeped through her and she leaned into his touch.

Distracted by the pinch and pull of his fingers over her nipples, she was caught off guard when he pulled away from her. Her eyes snapped open and she looked up at him, crying out in protest. She watched him taste his fingers, letting them linger in his mouth as he closed his eyes, savoring the taste.

"You taste so good," he purred, dropping his hands to his sides to take the hem of his shirt in his hands. It lifted quickly over his head and Sakura's gaze darted from the tattoo on his arm to the one etched into his chest. He gave her no time to study it before he leaned over her once more and took one of her nipples into his mouth. She had been right. He was skilled with his tongue as well. It swirled expertly, wet and warm, over the hardened bud, making her head fall back against the bed. She felt drained already and she hadn't even come yet.

Kakashi lifted his head, letting her nipple pull from his mouth with a wet pop and as she glanced down at him, he flicked his tongue over it once. If he was going to keep making her wet, he was going to have to supply her with water, because at this point, she was becoming dehydrated. "Good enough to eat," he whispered, repeating the same words he had said to her in the car hours ago.

Sakura blinked, her body trembling at the implication and she tried to say something, tried to beg the way he wanted her to, but it wasn't possible. There were no words she could properly form as he slowly moved down the length of her body, kneeling in front of the bed, right between her legs.

Her hands found their way back into her hair and she held onto it for dear life. She pursed her lips tight and stared up at the ceiling, trying to get her body to stop shaking.

"Sakura," he murmured against her inner thigh. The warmth of his breath, the rasp of his voice, made her whimper and she hoped he wouldn't wait for an answer. "Has anyone ever eaten your pussy before?"

"Um..." Had they? She couldn't remember. She couldn't think past this room at the moment. She wracked her memories and recalled a time when her high school boyfriend had attempted to go down on her. It had been far too difficult to figure out the positions in the back of his car and after a few licks, they had given up. So, yes, and no. She didn't know which answer to give Kakashi.

Luckily, he let out a soft laugh and dipped his head closer to her center before saying, "I'll take that as a no."

The press of his tongue against her sex pulled another moan from her throat and she sank deeper into the bed. He curled his hands around her thighs and held her steady while also pulling them as far apart as they would go. From here, he could dip his tongue deeper into her and he took a moment to taste every inch of her.

Taking a long, slow drag from her slick opening back up to her clit, Kakashi groaned against her in satisfaction. Nothing she had ever done to herself had ever--and would never--feel _this_ good. She felt as if she were weightless again while thankfully being held tightly in place with his hands.

With every brush of his tongue over her clit, he edged her closer and closer. Just when she thought he would let her reach the end, he switched it up to build her up all over again. There was no hiding her voice now. She moaned and gasped and begged for it and each time, she thought she felt him smile against her at the sounds. It was surprising how good it felt to know he was pleased with her. 

Kakashi lapped against her clit, rolling the flat of his tongue back and forth, up and down over it, building that ache within her over and over again. She covered her face with her hands and he growled against her, the sound vibrating through his lips. Releasing the hold on her thighs, he reached up and pulled her arms into his hands. His grip was tight enough to bruise as he held her hands down to the bed.

Sakura's lips parted in a breathless cry and she struggled to keep her legs open. The muscles down the length of her thighs trembled from the effort and she draped her knees over his shoulders. She was so close and he was still keeping just enough distance to keep her from coming.

_Fuck_! She really hated him at that moment. Couldn't he see that she was on the verge of tears?

Kakashi switched from lapping her clit to swirling the tip of his tongue around it, keeping the perfect amount of pressure. It stole her breath away and she squeezed her eyes shut as the tension and ache that he had been edging her toward finally came unraveled. Her hips lifted off the bed, pressing her harder against his mouth and he sucked and licked and finally gave her exactly what she was begging for.

She came harder than she ever had before and her orgasm pulsed through her like white-hot fire. Every wave sent her body shuddering and she was faintly aware that her wrists would be bruised, but she didn't care. All she cared about, all she wanted, was to ride the high of this ecstasy for as long as possible.

As her orgasm peaked and she started the descent down the other side, Kakashi never relented. He drank her in, savoring every last drop just like he had told her he would until she couldn't stand it anymore. Sakura squirmed and gasped, his tongue still sending ripples of electric pleasure darting through her and his grip on her hands kept her pinned against him.

"Kaka--_AH_\--shi!"

Sakura twisted on the bed, managing to squirm away enough that he released his hold and she could get away. Every muscle in her body felt as if it had been used to exertion and she laid on her side, face buried in the wrinkled bedding as she fought for breath. At her backside, Kakashi was trailing the tips of his fingers down the curve of her ass. He kissed the bend of her knee, making her sit up on her elbow to look at him in disbelief.

The cocky grin on his face would have made her scowl, had it not also been covered with the slick traces of her orgasm. Heat flooded her face and she sat up more to see some of it dripping down to his chest.

Oh, god...She did _that_?

She brought a hand to her face and shook her head. "I didn't--I mean, it felt _good_ but--that--I'm sorry."

Kakashi took her hands and pulled them away from her face. She refused to look at him, too embarrassed by what she had left on his face. He crawled onto the bed and pulled her closer to him with an arm wrapped around her back. With his free hand, he took her chin and tilted her head back, forcing her to look at him. She could smell herself now and it only made her face grow warmer.

"I like it." He pushed her hair away from her face and she realized that somewhere in the throes of their passion, her ponytail had slipped free. "Besides, it gives me a good excuse to get you in the shower."

Her eyes widened and she glanced down to where her legs were draped over his lap. Surely, this wasn't _all_. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'll be in the shower as well." Kakashi laughed and stepped off the bed, taking her by the hand to pull her to her feet. Her knees nearly buckled beneath her but he was quick to slip an arm around her waist to keep her steady.

"No, I mean--Isn't it your turn?"

Together, they walked to the other side of the bedroom where a door was closed. Sakura had assumed it was a closet when they first walked in, but once he pushed it open, she found a spacious en suite with a standing shower and a double vanity sink. Just like the rest of the house, it was quite nice and Sakura didn't need Kakashi's help as she walked to the sink.

She traced the edge of the marble vanity counter and glanced up to her reflection in the wide mirror. Her hair was wild and her skin was flushed with various shades of pink. She stared at herself with wide eyes, a little shocked that she was standing naked in the bathroom after they had-- She shut her thoughts up quickly. Just because all of the arousal and desire that had been pent up all night was finally relieved didn’t mean she wanted any of those worrying thoughts to return.

Not yet, anyway. Tonight, she just wanted to have this one thing. Tomorrow, there would be time to panic.

Sakura watched Kakashi slip into the bathroom behind her. He turned to open the shower door and start the water and Sakura was thankful that the sight of another tattoo on his back could distract her from her thoughts.

The tattoo was two swords crossed to make an X shape through the middle of his back, with the tip of one sword disappearing into the skin around his ribs. So, he had at least three tattoos that she knew of. More stupid decisions from his youth or did these mean something?

It reminded her of her own and she turned to the left and looked down at her hip in the mirror. He must not have noticed it earlier. She smiled and turned to face him as he straightened and reached for the button of his jeans. As much as seeing him completely naked thrilled her, she wanted to at least bring her tattoo to his attention before she got distracted by other things.

She turned to present the left side of her ass to him and his eyes immediately fell to the bright red, cherry tattoo on her hip. The grin that stretched across his lips brought one to her own and she let him trace the image with his middle finger. His eyes lifted to meet hers and he pulled her close.

"I knew you would show me sooner or later." With an arm wrapped around her side, Kakashi lifted her easily off the plush, white rug beneath her feet, and spun her to the shower. "As for _my turn_...trust me, I'll get my turn soon.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twenty-three pages! I hope it was worth it and I hope you enjoyed it!!


	12. The Contract

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a hot minute, ain't it? I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter because the TEASE is real from here on out.

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* * *

The chatter from the kitchen stopped Kakashi in his tracks as he stepped off the stairs onto the first floor. It wasn't a rare occasion for people to stay the night at Jiraiya's house after their biweekly get together, but he didn't know if he was ready to face anyone just yet. While they were used to staying over, Kakashi wasn't.

It had been months since he had; months since he had a reason to.

And now that he did have a reason to, well...He felt the corner of his lips lift into a sly smile at the thought of the girl lying in the bed on the second floor and he reached up to rub his palm across his chin. The stubble across his jaw was rough and he knew he'd have to shave if he planned to spend any more time between Sakura's legs today. Of course, he planned to do just that after they had a bit of time to discuss their contract.

And before that, he'd have to face the group mingling in the kitchen at the moment. From the sound of the soft laughter, he knew he'd find Hana sitting at the island and there was no mistaking Genma's flirting. Kakashi sighed and wondered if he should just turn on his heel, go back upstairs, and crawl into bed once again.

He didn't like to linger in bed for too long, even if there was a pretty girl lying beside him. So instead, he took a deep breath and moved toward the kitchen. Coming around the corner, he spotted Hana first. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she had on the same clothes she'd been wearing the night before last.

Beside her, Yamato was eating a small breakfast of a muffin and peeled orange and he lifted his head at the sight of Kakashi. His eyes went a bit wide, but he quickly recovered and offered a polite smile. The man across the island, however, went the opposite direction.

Genma's jaw dropped and he folded his arms over his chest as a slow, teasing smile curled the corner of his lips. He reached up and plucked the toothpick out from between them and pointed to Kakashi. "You dog."

"Good morning to you too, Genma." Kakashi made his way to the fridge and opened it. He wasn't exactly hungry, but digging around the contents of the shelves of food was better than looking at the surprised look on his friend's faces.

"Morning, Kakashi," Hana called sweetly and he could hear her stand from the stool and make her way around to the sink. She dropped a plate into it and ran the water. As Kakashi stared at the tray of eggs on the shelf, he caught the telltale whispers shared between Hana and Genma. Hopefully, she was telling him to keep his mouth shut.

With a quick decision to cook some breakfast for Sakura, Kakashi grabbed a few eggs with one hand and the carton of milk with the other before stepping back and shutting the fridge door with his elbow. At once, Genma's mouth snapped shut and he straightened, pulling away from the girl at his side with a grin stretching his mouth.

"So," Genma started, making Kakashi sigh. "Are we safe in assuming you had some company stay the night with you?"

"If you have something you want to say, then I suggest you just say it." He lifted his head and forced a tight smile to his friend. "Subtly isn't exactly your strong suit."

"I forgot how grumpy you are in the mornings." The insufferable brat smiled again and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm simply wondering if you spent the night alone or with a certain newcomer."

Kakashi cracked an egg on the side of a bowl, imagining it was Genma's face before he discarded the eggshell into the trash. "Sakura's still asleep...if you must know."

"Did you at least draw up a contract?"

At this question, Kakashi turned to face his friends and found them all staring at him, waiting for his answer. Did they have nothing better to do with their morning than to pry into his personal life? He discarded another cracked eggshell into the trash can and reached for one of the kitchen towels next to the sink. "Not that it's any of your business, but we're doing that today."

Hana nodded, satisfied with his answer, while the other two continued to stare at him expectedly. What more could they want to know? Yamato folded his arms over his chest, staring at Kakashi from his left while Genma smirked on his right. It was the latter that spoke up, to no one's surprise.

"So, this girl must be  _ special _ ."

"Shut up--"

"Why do you say it like that?" Hana finally chimed in as she circled the island and sat back down next to Yamato. Kakashi didn't fault her for being curious. She was the newest member of their social group--aside from Sakura--and didn't exactly know him all too well. The two of them had been discussing an active partnership in the beginning, but their interests and wants were just too different to be compatible. Whatever they had growing between them fizzled out completely when Anko got a hold of Hana.

Before he could brush her question off with a passive answer, Genma spoke. "Because Kakashi doesn't play for free. He's by the books--goes by the rules."

" _ Used to _ . Not so much anymore."

"Yeah," Genma bit into an orange slice and smirked at Kakashi. "But you've never bent the rules like this for someone you don't know very well."

"You are just so observant today, Genma. What would we do without you around to point out the obvious?" Kakashi didn't even try to hide the sarcasm dripping from his voice. He hoped it cut right through the brat, but judging by that little grin on his face, he knew it didn't do much damage. Thankfully, before either could say anything else, Yamato stood from his stool and pushed it beneath the bar.

"We just want you to be careful."

"I am."

Awkward tension was starting to grow thick in the room and despite the size of the kitchen, Kakashi felt as if the walls were closing in around him. He didn't like being the center of attention, or when people wanted to peer into his personal life. Anymore pushing from them, and he was sure he'd bite someone's head off.

Thankfully, whether she could sense the bubbling tension or not, Hana sighed and stood as well, looking up at the man beside her. "I should get to work. Mind if I hitch a ride with you?"

"Not at all," Yamato said with a smile. "I can drop you off at your place on my way to the studio."

They waved goodbye and Hana looked pointedly at Genma as she grabbed her purse from the floor and swung it over her shoulder. It didn't take long before they both were gone, with the front door shutting behind them and leaving Kakashi alone with Genma. One word from his mouth and Kakashi was going to have to use force to shut him up.

He risked a glance up at the man and sighed at the infuriating smirk Genma was giving him. "What?"

With his hands raised in surrender, Genma chuckled and pushed away from the counter he was leaning against. "Nothing! It's just so unlike you to be so casual with someone." Kakashi returned to his bowl of eggs and grabbed a fork from the drawer at his right to mix them up. Unfortunately, Genma wasn't as done with the conversation as he'd hoped. "So, drawing up the ole contract today, hmm? What's she into?"

"Don't you have class?" Kakashi didn't look up from the bowl, didn't exactly have to, to know the man was grinning from ear to ear. Just like a brat to want to get so under someone's skin.

"Fine, I can take a hint." From behind him, he could hear Genma snatch up a ring of keys and dangle them teasingly. "I'll leave you and the pretty new girl alone in this big house full of sex toys so you can have your fun."

"I would appreciate it."

Genma laughed and waved over his shoulder as he left the room, not looking back at Kakashi and he was thankful. Not just for the quiet but for the time alone. He didn't like having their incessant questions constantly circling through his head and with them gone, he could focus on the task of breakfast now, and the contract once Sakura woke up.

Thinking about her lying in bed, exhausted from a night of orgasms and foreplay, made his pulse race. Blood was definitely pumping inside him this morning, and now that he wasn't quite so annoyed, it was able to spread to other areas in his body. He shook his head at himself and poured a bit of milk into the bowl of eggs.

Maybe his friends were right, maybe he didn't do this often and it was a bit uncharacteristic for him to jump headfirst into things, but what business was it of theirs? He had spent the past several months watching them pair up, watching them move from one to another and enjoy themselves, and not once did he judge them. And now, they couldn't do the same for him?

That wasn't exactly fair, though. They'd seen him broken-hearted and watched him pick up the pieces of his last relationship. It only made sense that they'd be watching out for him, especially if they thought he was being careless with someone.

But Sakura was different. He didn't quite know how to describe it to anyone else, but she drove him crazy. Everything about her was exactly what he wanted and from the moment he had spoken to her in front of the registrar's office, he couldn't get her out of his head. He may have been a bit careless jumping into things with her so quickly last night, but he couldn't help it.

He had been hoping that giving himself just a taste--just a kiss here and there--would be enough to hold him over, but it hadn't. Last night had only made it worse for him. Somehow, it had only made him want her more, and more was exactly what he was hoping she wanted as well.

* * *

Something smelled delicious. Through the haze of dreams still clinging to Sakura's mind, she could smell something with each inhale through her nose. Was it bacon? Strange...she didn't usually smell food in her room. This was like someone was cooking it right beneath her--

Sakura's eyes snapped open and she stared up at the dim, morning light filtering in through the sheer curtains covering the windows on the wall to her left--a wall that was far bigger than her puny dorm room. In fact, the bed she was laying in was twice the size of the one she was used to, and the sheets--god, they were so soft--were completely different as well.

In a flash, the memories of her previous night came flooding back into her head and she slowly turned her head to the stretch of the bed beside her. She wasn't sure if she should be disappointed by the empty space or not. On one hand, it would have been satisfying as hell to see Kakashi wearing next to nothing, hair tousled from sleep, a look of peace on his face. Maybe one day, she could wake up next to him and appreciate that.

Right now, though, she was thankful she was alone so she could properly freak out. Now that she wasn't blinded by the intensity of her desire or the alcohol she had probably drunk too much of the night before, she could see everything laid out without the fuzzy edges to distract her. And she was appalled.

Sakura lifted the covers and gasped at the sight of her naked body stretching across the sheets. She had never slept naked in her entire life. Of course, she'd never had seven orgasms in one night before either. It was understandable that she'd be too exhausted to at least put her underwear back on before falling asleep.

That didn't make it any less horrifying though.

Clutching the blankets to her chest, Sakura sat up and held her breath, waiting for any sound that she wasn't alone in the room. The bathroom door was open and she could see in the mirror that the room was empty. And while she was still thankful for that, she couldn't help wondering where Kakashi had disappeared to.

Was he the reason behind the delicious scents she breathed in?

For just a brief moment, no longer than a few seconds, Sakura sat there and glanced at the trail of clothes she had left behind on the floor. Her shirt and skirt were a few steps away from the door with her bra and panties lying discarded next to the bed beside her. She let her mind wander to the things she had done the night before, the things she had let Kakashi do to her.

It had been indescribable. The things he could do with his tongue, the way he could make her feel with just a glance of his dark eyes--she was still trembling from it all. And that was trouble. She had let herself fall into bed with someone she knew next to nothing about--aside from his kinks--and while she had completely willing the night before, now that it was morning, she wasn't sure what to do.

With no more alcohol in her system, clouding her judgment, and no pent up desire burning her up from the inside out, she could see things clearly. This wasn't like her.

Sakura kicked the blankets away from her and bent to the floor, snatching her bra and panties up. Even with no one in the room with her, she still felt vulnerable just being naked in a house that she was unfamiliar with. Not to mention, it was a house owned by her  _ professor _ , at that!

Oh,  _ God _ ...She clutched her shirt back to her chest and stared at the front door. What if Kakashi had left her there...What if it was  _ Jiraiya _ in the kitchen, cooking breakfast, having no idea she was even in his house?

Panic gripped her chest and she swallowed tightly before shaking her head. He wouldn't leave her. He wasn't like that. But, if she did bump into her Creative Writing professor, then she would just have to withdraw from his class once and for all. She couldn't look the man in the eye if he knew she was making the walk of shame in his own home.

Sakura quickly dressed and hurried to the bathroom to wash her face. The water was cold as she splashed it to her face and through the droplets dripping down her face, she looked up at her reflection. Tufts of pink hair stuck out in odd angles and she nearly laughed at her ridiculous appearance.

Apparently, going to bed with wet hair had been a mistake in itself, but going to bed and having several more orgasms was enough to make her look like she'd stuck her finger in a light socket. Sakura dabbed the water from her face with a hand towel and quickly combed her fingers through her hair. She gathered it back into a ponytail and secured it with the band around her wrist before stepping back out in the bedroom.

As much as she wanted to spend a bit more time making sure she didn't look as crazy as she felt, she just couldn't look at herself for much longer. This wasn't her.

She didn't do this kind of thing with men she barely knew.

She was methodical and organized and every aspect of her life was rigidly planned. Not to mention, she'd always had her own personal moral code for things like this. Of course, how does one even prepare for a situation where a brutally attractive man wanted to dominate them?

Warmth rushed to her face and she put a palm to her forehead, wishing she could just think clearly through this mess instead of having her thoughts jump right back to how hot Kakashi was. That was what got her into the mess in the first place!

She shook her head and glanced back to the bed with a frown. The sheets and blanket were thrown back, pillows flattened from her head laying on them for a few hours, and she wondered if she should straighten them up. It felt rude not to, but panic was still clutching her tightly and all she wanted was to just get out of here so she could  _ think _ .

No time to straighten her mess--she had to get downstairs, find Kakashi, and go home. Once she got back to her dorm, in her own world, she would be able to think this through and figure out what the hell she was going to do about this. Because while she very much enjoyed herself last night, and would never forget the things he had said and done to her, she couldn't ignore the fact that she had told him she wanted to try  _ everything _ .

What had she been thinking?

It was like with one peach, Kakashi had put her under a trance and now that she was fighting through the fog he still left in her head, she was struggling to keep her composure. And this was all before she had even seen him. If it was this hard  _ now, _ how hard would it be when she had to be face to face with the man who had made her come more times in one night than she's had from another person in months?

Sakura whimpered and took a deep breath before opening the bedroom door and stepping out. The smell of breakfast hit her harder and she pressed a hand to her stomach. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until this moment.

_ Okay _ , she told herself. I'll stay just for  _ breakfast and then I'm out the door. _

From the stairs, she could hear the tell-tale sounds of someone cooking--pots and pans gently clanging together and the sizzle of bacon that followed the smell of it. By the time she reached the hardwood floors of the first level, her stomach was growling in need of whatever he was cooking.

Sakura crept quietly into the foyer and found the wide, arched opening that led into the kitchen, and her jaw fell open at the sight that met her. It was indeed Kakashi cooking breakfast, that much she had expected--though she was glad that Jiraiya didn't seem to be home today either. But what she hadn't been expecting was for Kakashi to be cooking her breakfast while wearing a pair of light, grey sweat pants, and nothing else.

She was frozen to the spot, too caught by surprise to even blink. She had gotten a few good looks at his tattoos the night before, but hadn't had much time to actually  _ see _ them. What sane person would concentrate on his tattoos when he was doing so many more things with his hands and his mouth?

The two swords crossing on his back stretched from one shoulder blade to the other, with his spine right in the center of the X. One sword had a blood tip and the other was made to look as if it was cutting into the flesh covering his ribs and disappeared within. Sakura's fingers itched with the need to trace the black lines with her fingers.

Her eyes followed the tattoo to his spine and she let her gaze fall down to the band of his sweat pants slung just low enough on his hips to make her mouth water without revealing too much. Was he even wearing underwear? That question made heat slither through her midsection and she shifted on her feet, finally able to close her mouth with a quiet snap of her teeth.

It seemed to be enough to alert Kakashi that he wasn't alone, and he turned to catch her staring from over his shoulder. For just a brief moment, his dark eyes widened before they returned to their normal, half-lidded state.

"You fucking scared me," he said with a quiet chuckle and she winced sheepishly.

"Oh, sorry." A blush crept up her cheeks and without making the decision to move at all, she took a step closer to the island in the center of the kitchen. Her body was already taking over, pushing out any doubt and regret and leaving her with nothing but that desire from before. She blinked and put her hands on the island in front of her. "I just...woke up and smelled something delicious."

Before he turned around, she caught the glimpse of a grin across his mouth and it was far too sexy for her. She needed to sit down and she slid into the stool next to her as he reached down to twist the knob on the front of the stove.

"Well, I hope you're hungry."

"I am."

Again, his lips were lifted into a grin as he turned around with the skillet of bacon he had been cooking. He turned it on its side and let two strips slide across the plate that was sitting on the counter. "It isn't much," he said, glancing at her quickly. "Just some scrambled eggs and bacon."

"No, it's perfect. More than I eat on most days." Sakura smiled up at him as he passed the plate in front of her and she took the fork from the edge of the plate. "Are you not eating?"

"I had some bacon while cooking yours. Eat up."

As she dipped her fork into eggs that were the fluffiest she'd ever had before, she watched Kakashi clean up his mess out of the corner of her eyes. It was hard enough trying to concentrate on just breathing around him. Now she had to eat and watch him clean while wearing nothing but a pair of pants that did not leave the shape of him to her imagination?

She'd seen him naked the night before in the shower and knew exactly what he was hiding behind those pants, but that hadn't been enough apparently. The muscles between her thighs clenched as she crossed her legs beneath the bar and slowly chewed her eggs. It was hard keeping her thoughts focussed.

What had she been wanting to do? Go home?

Why on earth would she want to do that when  _ he _ was here, looking like  _ that _ while feeding her delicious food?

Kakashi wiped a dishrag over the grease splatters on the stove and once he was finished, he turned to face her with a soft smile. He glanced at her plate and then back to her face and as their eyes met, he spoke. "I thought maybe we could discuss the contract after you've eaten."

Oh.

_ That's _ why she had been wanting to go home.

Sakura froze with a bite of bacon in her mouth and felt the color drain from her face and her stomach clench tightly. With just two simple words, the little bubble of desire she had been building up around her popped, and she was feeling the strain of that doubt and regret eating at her once more.

She swallowed the food in her mouth and cleared her throat, wishing she had a napkin to occupy her hands with at that moment. She dropped them to her lap and stared at the small strip of bacon left on her plate. "Well, I mean...I suppose we can, if-if you want to--"

"Sakura," his voice had dropped but still held the teasing tone he usually spoke to her with. It made her lift her gaze to him and she found him leaning against the counter with his hands gripping it on either side of his hips. "Nothing is written in stone. If you're uncomfortable with anything we discuss, we won't do it."

She was nodding as he spoke and took a deep breath. "It's just--" Ugh, it was so embarrassing saying this out loud to someone like him. "I'm not that experienced. I've only had two partners and neither were..." She trailed off, not exactly sure how to finish her sentence.

Thankfully, it seemed that she didn't need to.

Kakashi understood.

He pushed away from the counter and crossed to the island, putting his hands down on the edge while he leaned forward. She felt as if she were shrinking the closer he got to her and as his eyes met hers, she held her breath tight.

"I know," he said quietly and his voice felt like warmth to her. "It's not my intention to overwhelm you or throw you into the deep end of something you're not familiar with. But, if you're willing to learn, I'm willing to teach you."

Again, she nodded before he had finished speaking as if her body had already made up its mind about what she was going to do. It still felt too much. This was something someone like her just couldn't do, couldn't  _ be _ . She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, thinking back to the things he had said to her the night they first kissed.

_ Your sexuality is as important as your personality. Denying it will do more harm than good, trust me. _

Despite her sensible side telling her that it was ridiculous and too soon, she did trust Kakashi. He had proved to her that she had nothing to fear from him--or well, nothing  _ normal _ to fear. And she wasn't exactly afraid of multiple orgasms.

Sakura opened her eyes and found him still standing there, staring at her with that gaze of his that made her feel as if she were burning up on the inside. It sucked the breath from her lungs and all she could do was nod and whisper, "Okay."

"Good," he said, reaching across the island to take hold of her plate. "Are you finished?"

When she nodded, he took the plate and dumped what she couldn't finish into the trash. He didn't bother washing the dishes and Sakura glanced back at it sitting in the sink as he rounded the island and moved toward the entrance into the kitchen. He waited for her with a smile that she could tell was already melting her panties.

"We can use Jiraiya's office."

"Oh." Sakura blinked as she joined him in the hallway. "Will he not mind?"

"As long as we don't leave a mess." Kakashi nudged her with his shoulder and led her down the hallway in the same way he had shown her the first dinner party. There was a door beside the master bedroom that he hadn't shown her and she had been far more curious about  _ him _ than what was behind the door. She ducked her head at his joke and hoped he couldn't see how pink her cheeks had turned.

Kakashi reached for the doorknob, twisted it, and threw it open so she could walk in ahead of him. The room was, upon her immediate impression, a lot cozier than she expected. The walls were floor to ceiling bookshelves and a window along the back wall gave her a clear view out into the lake stretching behind the house.

There was a cluttered, rolltop desk with a rolling chair pushed into it and a brown, leather couch in the corner of the room. Kakashi left the door open before walking in behind her and gestured toward the couch so she could take a seat.

It felt strange as if she were a patient and he was her psychiatrist, ready to pick her brain to find out all the sinful, kinky things she desired. She lowered herself onto the couch just as he took a seat in the chair at the desk and she watched him reach for one of the drawers beside him. From within, he pulled out a small stack of papers and Sakura felt her eyes go wide.

"You just have blank contracts written up?"

"Sort of. These are more like guidelines." Kakashi snatched a pen from one of the cups on the desk and swiveled the chair to face her. "I know you're new to all of this and I don't want to overwhelm you all at once so, why don't you tell me where you want to start."

Again, her eyes widened and she opened her mouth only to quickly snap it shut. A bubble of nervous laughter was out of her mouth before she could stop it. "I have no idea where to start."

Kakashi's smile was slow to spread across his lips but it didn't fail to make her feel as if she were suddenly burning up. "Tell me what you like.  _ Sexually. _ "

Now it definitely felt as if he were going to pick her brain. Sakura reached up and scratched at her eyebrow to buy herself some time to think, but when she dropped her hands back into her lap, her mind was still drawing a blank. How was she supposed to tell him that anything he was willing to do to her was probably good enough?

Her fingers were clammy and she rubbed them against her skirt to dry them off before she shook a fallen strand of hair away from her face. "I like...oral."

"Oh, I noticed." Blood rushed to her face so fast, it left her ears ringing and she couldn't keep her eyes on him. She looked away as he laughed softly and she ducked her head. Before she could rack her brain for some other kink she might be into, Kakashi spoke and cut her thoughts in half. "Do you have any fantasies?"

In an instant, all of the things she had used to fantasize about  _ him _ popped into her head and she pulled her legs away from the leather beneath them. If he was going to keep making her sweat, she was going to have to sit on the floor. Otherwise, she'd melt into the couch.

Sakura cleared her throat and resisted the urge to bite her lip. "Well, I always thought it would be interesting to be caught in the library--or some other quiet, but public place--and...you know, have to keep quiet."

She watched Kakashi's eyebrow slowly arch with interest and his tongue darted out to wet his lips just enough that she saw the pink tip before he turned to face the desk. He clicked the pen with his thumb and flipped the top page of the stabled papers over. From where she sat, she could see a long list of things that stretched down the page and a few boxes beside each one.

She inched to the edge of her seat and Kakashi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You can look if you want. This is your contract too."

Kakashi slid his chair away enough to give her room to stand beside the desk and when she did, she looked down at the page he was looking over. On the left-hand side was the long list she had noticed earlier, but now that she was closer, she could see the words and they brought another blush to her face.

It was the longest list of kinks she had ever seen before. Anal plugs, dildos, eye contact, and face slapping all immediately jumped out at her and she forgot how to breathe. Kakashi chuckled at the look on her face and reached around her to put a reassuring hand to her back. His touch was so warm, it nearly made her knees buckle.

"Don't let it scare you. They're just words and won't be a reality unless you want it."

Sakura nodded and nearly whined in protest to his hand falling away from her back. She tucked her hair behind her ear and watched him flip the pages until there were only 3 left. It was another list like the blank one she had just seen, but the boxes beside the entries were check marked.

"This is my list." He sat back in the chair to give her a minute to look it over and Sakura felt her fingers shaking as she reached for the papers. She pulled it closer to her and read down each line. Nothing seemed  _ too _ extreme--not like she had been expecting.

He was far more experienced than she first imagined though, and it was starting to make her feel as if the room was getting a bit smaller around them. She swallowed and though she was curious to know the entire thing, she didn't turn the page over. "And you're okay with me  _ not _ being okay with some of these?"

"Of course. There are some I'm not interested in any longer and others that I'm willing to try for the right person. Do you think you're ready to discuss them?"

"Each one?"

"We'll start small." He looked up at her and she nodded, feeling just as warm near him that she had while sitting on the couch. She let him turn the pages back to the blank list and she saw that the empty boxes beside it were labeled 'yes, maybe, no desire, hard no'. She wasn't sure what the difference between 'no desire' and 'hard no' was, but she didn't ask.

"I'll read down the list of not so intense things, and you tell me yes or no." When she nodded, Kakashi positioned his pen over the page. "Anal."

Blood rushed to her face and she could feel it even touching the tips of her ears. Her voice was small when she managed to find it. "Maybe? But leaning more to no."

The pen made a quick check on maybe and she clamped her teeth around the inside of her bottom lip.

"Bondage."

She remembered seeing Shizune tied up with that red rope in the basement, could see Hana on all fours with the gag ball in her mouth, and Sakura's stomach turned nervous somersaults. "Maybe."

Again, Kakashi marked the box and moved onto the next 'soft' entry. He was skipping a few and Sakura figured they were the more intense kinks. She couldn't bring herself to look at them just yet.

"Collaring."

She frowned. "What's that?"

Kakashi lifted his head and looked up at her with a small smile lifting the corner of his lips. He reached up and brushed the strands of her ponytail away from her shoulder and traced the length of her neck with his middle finger. "Something you wear that symbolizes your submission to me. Don't think of it as a dog collar. It's more like a choker."

"Oh. Yeah, I think I'd be into that."

The small smile on his face stretched into a grin and Sakura felt a bit more of her panties melt away at the sight. How was it legal for someone to be this hot? So caught up in how attractive he was, she almost didn't notice him check a box without asking her. "What's that one?"

"Cunnilingus."

"Oh." No wonder he had marked the 'yes' box. Her cheeks flushed and he continued down the list.

"Exhibitionism."

Well, according to her fantasy, she was interested in that. So she told him a yes and he marked it on the box.

"Fellatio."

Her response was quieter. "Yes."

"Forced masturbation."

She was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree and was beginning to regret standing next to him for this. Was it too late to collapse back onto the couch? She scratched at her eyebrow and hoped he couldn't see how red she was turning. "You're going to have to explain that to me."

Kakashi lifted his head and flashed her that torturous smile. "Gladly," he said with a soft laugh as he swiveled the chair to face her instead of the desk. Sakura's eyes immediately fell to his lap and blood rushed in opposite directions in her body. "I can only speak for myself, but as a dominant, one of my favorite aspects of it is the control I have over my submissive."

The touch of his hand on her wrist made Sakura's breath hitch just a bit and she stared down at his hand turning her palm up. Kakashi traced the line from the heel of her palm to the middle and though she felt his gaze burning into her, she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"If you consent to forced masturbation, you're consenting to stop what you're doing and find a quiet place to touch yourself...no matter where you are, no matter who you're with until I say you can come. Knowing that I can control you without even being near you, knowing that no matter what you're doing, you submit to my request and touch yourself is extremely satisfying." By the time he finished speaking, his fingers had found hers and Sakura had lost the ability to breathe. "Is that something you think you'd enjoy?"

God, she couldn't even speak. She couldn't remember what words even  _ were _ at that moment. All she could do was swallow down the slow, creeping desire working its way through her body and nod. Kakashi grinned wide enough to show his teeth and Sakura couldn't help thinking of him exactly like a wolf.

Fitting that he had the image tattooed onto his arm. Maybe she wasn't the first to notice the resemblance.

"Good," Kakashi said, marking the box for 'yes' beside the entry before moving on. "Hot wax?"

The words went in one ear and out the other and Sakura watched his hand fall away from her fingers. She resisted the urge to reach for him and cleared her throat, trying to concentrate on what he was asking her. "Maybe."

"Leather restraints."

"Yes."

The pen hesitated for a brief second before checking through the box and Sakura took her bottom lip between her teeth. Apparently, he hadn't been expecting her to answer so quickly or in favor of something like that. And truthfully, she hadn't intended to. The answer had just tumbled from her lips.

"Orgasm control."

"Yes."

"Phone sex."

She had been in favor of that before ever needing a contract for it and when she nodded, Kakashi marked through the box.

"Punishments."

Her eyebrows lifted high on her forehead and she shifted from one foot to the other. "Erm, can you explain that one a bit better?"

"Well, it's fairly simple. If you don't do as I say, I'll be forced to punish you." He lifted his head to look up at her and as he did so, a strand of silver hair fell across his forehead to rest above his eyebrow. Sakura's fingers twitched at her side. Would it be too bold of her to reach out and brush it away? Kakashi's voice cut through her thoughts. "Don't worry. It's nothing too extreme. I may stick your nose in a corner or put you over my knee to spank you. If you consent to that, of course."

Again, Sakura's eyebrows lifted in surprise and she quite enjoyed the mental image of being draped over his knee. "Then yes, I consent to both."

"Good girl."

A rush of exhilaration filled her insides and she pursed her lips to keep the smile from stretching across her face. Should it have made her feel this good to hear him praise her like that?

After a few more questions, they had completed the more 'soft' aspects of the list and Sakura was feeling a bit mentally exhausted. She wanted to take a moment to gather her thoughts, to really think about what she was doing. She hadn't signed anything yet, but she still felt as if she were signing away the darkest parts of her for someone else to control. It was terrifying and exciting all at once.

Kakashi flipped back to the first page and turned to face her in the chair. "Now, there are a few questions that you need to answer for me. Are you ready to do that?"

Sakura nodded and took a step back so she could take a seat on the couch. If there was going to be more, she didn't think she'd be able to do it standing up. Her legs already felt like jello.

"We need to decide on our safewords. I don't plan to put you in a situation where you're going to need them, but you never know. If a situation becomes too intense for you, I don't want to push you too far. Safewords help let me know when you're getting too close to your boundaries. Is there any specific word you have in mind?"

"Oh. I'm not sure. I've never thought about it."

Kakashi nodded. "A good go-to is 'red' for stop, 'yellow' for slow down. We can keep it simple."

"That's fine."

He scribbled something on the page and as his head was turned away from her, she smoothed her palms across her skirt. They were becoming clammy again and if he was going to touch her again, she didn't want him to know how sweaty he made her.

"Is there anything you'd like me to call you?"

The question made her hands still on her skirt and she looked up at him with an eyebrow raised in question. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Kakashi said, lifting his head to look at her with a smirk curling the corner of his mouth. "I prefer to be called sir or Mr. Hatake. I'm alright with master but it's not my favorite."

_ Mr. Hatake _ ...It had such a sexy sound to it, even in her own head. She could definitely get used to saying that. Blinking the thoughts from her head, she turned her attention down to her hands in her lap and pursed her lips. She tried to think of what she'd like to be called, but couldn't find a title that didn't sound degrading.

Sure, she figured some women would want to be called slut, or whore, but those didn't sound appealing to her. What she  _ did _ like was when he called her a good girl. She shifted on the couch and swallowed the nervous tension down that was making it hard for her to respond to him.

"I'm not sure," she said quietly. "I-I liked it when you called me a good girl."

"Is that so?" The tone of his words made her lift her gaze to him and the sight stole her breath. That dark desire was so evident behind his stare that her panties were completely melted off by now. He could have told her to do anything and she would obey him right then. "I could work with that."

She expected him to scribble her response down on the page, but he didn't. His hand remained still and his gaze never left hers. She could see the craving she felt for him mirrored in his eyes and it filled her with a sudden heat that left her sweating all over again. Her toes curled over the fibers of the rug beneath them and she pressed her thighs together to try to relieve some of the ache.

It didn't help. Not when he was still looking at her the same way he had watched her last night while she touched herself.

"Sakura," he purred her name so deliciously, she had to close her eyes to savor it. "Do you want to be a good girl?"

All she could do was nod and when she opened her eyes, she watched him lift his hand and curl his finger, beckoning her to him. Her body moved on its own, no longer taking orders from her brain. It was under Kakashi's control now and anything he commanded, it would obey.

Sakura stood to her feet and crossed the two steps between them until her knees were between his. Her breath left her lips in a single puff as he brought his hands to her thighs, just beneath the hem of her skirt. His touch was warm and it sent a wave of shivers cascading down her spine, leaving the flesh of her arms covered in goosebumps.

Slowly, inch by inch, he moved his hands up beneath her skirt. She could feel the tips of his fingers brush the curve of her ass, right where her panties sat. He dipped beneath the hem and Sakura didn't hold back now. She lifted a hand and raked her fingers through his hair, pulling the strand that had fallen across his forehead back.

The quiet groan that rumbled from his throat turned her on more than she had been expecting and her lips parted in surprise as Kakashi used his grip on the back of her thighs to pull her closer. "You're wearing too many clothes," he growled.

Sakura's eyes widened as he reached up to the waist of her panties and pulled them down her hips. They fell past her knees and she stepped out of them. A small part of her realized she was letting him undress her in her professor's  _ home office _ and she should have been appalled by it.

She  _ should _ have been, but she wasn't.

With his hands still gripping the back of her thighs, Kakashi pulled her onto his lap and she let out a sigh of satisfaction as if this was exactly where she had been wanting to sit all this time. Her hand raked down the back of his head, around his neck to keep herself steady, and she let him unbuckle the straps of her dress.

One fell away and she took her bottom lip between her teeth, clamping hard enough to pull her back to sanity. It didn't work. She wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on hers, to feel them all over her body.

And though she couldn't be too sure, she was almost certain that was exactly what he had planned to do had it not been for the sound of the front door opening. Sakura froze, her eyes opening as wide as they would go.

"Yo, anyone home?"

Sakura's jaw dropped at the sound of a familiar voice--her  _ professor's _ voice. She choked back a cry of humiliation and jumped off of Kakashi's lap just as he let his head fall back. He groaned in protest, but the corners of his lips were already curling into a wicked smile.

" _ Fuck _ , he has the worst timing." He pushed his hands through his hair and stood from the chair. "We're back here."

_ What _ ? Why was he telling him where they were? They should hide or stay quiet! The last thing Sakura wanted was to be half-dressed when her professor walked in! She scrambled to snatch her panties up from the floor and stepped into them as Kakashi crossed to the door.

As he moved into the hallway, Sakura rushed to buckle the strap of her dress and she stepped into her panties before dropping onto the couch. She felt as if she had been on fire and someone had suddenly thrown a bucket of ice-cold water on her. The fire was extinguished, but she still felt as if she were burning from the inside out.

From the hall, she could hear their voices and terror gripped her around the chest as they grew closer. Were they coming back here?

"Don't mind me," Jiraiya said with a deep chuckle. He was close to the door and Sakura didn't know whether to drop her head into her hands to hide her shame or to sit up and pretend she hadn't just been in Kakashi's lap. She could only sit there and stare in horror as the familiar figure from her Monday and Wednesday Creative Writing class strolled by the open doorway. Adding to her embarrassment, he waved to her over his shoulder. "Good morning, Miss Haruno."

"Morning," she grumbled weakly. As he moved into the master bedroom on the other side of the office, Kakashi strolled back in and this time, he shut the door behind him. With one look at her face, he laughed and took his seat back at the chair in front of the desk.

"Don't be embarrassed," he said, leaning back in his chair with his legs open. It gave her a front-row seat to where she had just crawled and her body was mourning the loss of the moment they had shared. "It was bound to happen eventually."

"How can I not be embarrassed? What if he says something to me after class?"

"He won't. Besides, he's walked in on much worse."

That didn't make her feel better and she crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at him. The look on her face brought another laugh from him and Kakashi tapped his fingers over the stack of pages they had been attempting to work through.

"It's probably for the best," Kakashi sighed, turning back to the contract. "I was getting ahead of myself anyway. Let's finish this up and I'll take you on the extended tour of the house."

Sakura's eyebrow arched and she lowered her arms from her chest as curiosity took hold of her thoughts. Extended tour? Hadn't he already showed her everything the first time she was here? God, was there more?

"You said you were tested over the summer?"

She blinked, trying to get her mind back on track and out of the dungeons that lay beneath her. Tested? Tested for what? Oh, yes! It was something he had been mature and responsible enough to ask her the previous night and she had been thankful at least one of them had been in their right mind to do so.

"Yes, I did, when I got on birth control. All negative."

"And that answers the next question." Kakashi's mouth was turned up in a smile as he wrote on the contract and when he reached the last question, he lifted his head to look at her. "The rest is a bit more detailed for an experienced sub, but since you're not experienced, we can skip them for now. There is one that I think is important to ask."

"What's that?"

"What do you want out of this?"

The question was not what Sakura had been expecting at all. She blinked at him and waited for just a moment to be sure she had heard him correctly. When he didn't repeat the question, she glanced away from him to think better. She could barely concentrate on breathing normally when he was watching her with that half-lidded yet somehow intense gaze.

What  _ did _ she want out of this? Endless orgasms didn't seem like the correct answer, though she was fairly certain there wasn't a correct answer. But she didn't want to give him something like that. She wanted to actually think about it and answer him without the need to joke about it or brush her desires away like she had been conditioned to do for so long.

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head slowly. "I suppose," she started, her voice quiet and shy. "I want to discover something about myself and find the confidence that I've always wanted to have. I'm sorry, does that even make sense?" She played it off with a laugh, but Kakashi stayed silent, still watching her with that gaze that left her feverish.

"It makes perfect sense to me."

For just a brief moment, only a few seconds, Sakura felt completely trapped in his gaze. She stayed still though she was close to falling apart inside. Even though she knew they weren't alone in the house, her body was begging to crawl into his lap again. She just wanted his hands on her body and his lips on hers.

Kakashi blinked, breaking the trance, and turned to write her answer down on the contract. He flipped over to the back page and filled in two lines before turning it on the table so she could see it. It looked like a standard contract from what she could see, though across the top, in bold letters were the words 'Dominant/Submissive Agreement'. Directly beneath it was a few blocks of text and Sakura leaned forward to read it better.

_ This contract is a binding agreement between two consenting parties on equal, agreed-upon terms and understanding. Breaking of this contract by either party will result in a previously agreed punishment or termination of the contract as a whole. _

_ I, ___________, agree to this contract and upon signing, take my place as submissive. _

_ I, ___________, agree to this contract and upon signing, take my place as dominant. _

At the bottom, there were two more blank lines for the starting date and ending date and Sakura sat back as she looked up at Kakashi. The sight of him holding the pen out for her to take made the knots in her stomach tighten and she swallowed. Her mouth had gone dry all of a sudden and her palms were sweaty again.

She watched her hand reach out without her brain even making the decision to do so and as she felt the plastic of the pen between her fingers, she slid to the edge of the couch. This was what she wanted. She'd been wanting this from the moment she learned about it and more importantly, she wanted Kakashi to be the one to show it to her.

If she was willing to learn, he was willing to teach her, after all.

Sakura held the pen over the top line on the page and signed her name. She didn't need to let her brain catch up this time. All it would do would fill her head with doubts and questions that she didn't want to hear right now. As soon as she handed the pen back to Kakashi, he took it and signed his name with a scribble of a signature that was both ridiculous and fit him perfectly.

With a roll of her eyes, she opened her mouth to tell him his handwriting was awful, but never got the chance. The pen dropped back into the cup on the desk and half a second later, Kakashi was on his feet. He towered over her and she leaned back to blink up at him. The sight of his bare chest, with his tattoos and pants resting low on his hips, made her mouth water.

He gave her no time to enjoy the view. With two steps, he crossed to the couch and reached a hand for her hair. He combed his fingers over her scalp until she felt him at her ponytail. In one quick motion, her hair fell around her shoulders and Kakashi used his free hand to hook a finger beneath her chin to lift her eyes to meet his.

The beat of her heart was frenzied and she held her breath as she stared up at him, waiting for him to tell her what to do. Wasn't that what a sub was supposed to do, after all?

Kakashi brushed his thumb across her bottom lip and pulled it down. He let it go and Sakura sucked in a tiny breath. At the back of her head, his fingers sank into her pink tresses and he gripped a handful tight enough that he could pull her head back just a bit further.

"Mmm," he purred, the corner of his lips lifting into a smile that Sakura felt deep inside her. "I could get used to the sight of this."

Sakura's lips parted and her eyes closed. The anticipation of wanting more was starting to become unbearable. Her fingers were gripping the edge of the couch beneath her tightly and she leaned into his touch. Unfortunately, it fell away and she opened her eyes with a gasp. To her horror, Kakashi was taking a step back, though the smirk remained on his face.

"Come on," he said with a nod toward the door. "I'll give you that extended tour now."

_ Now _ ? He wanted to do all of that  _ now _ that she was unbearable turned on and in need of some relief. Sakura couldn't hold back the whimper of protest and felt her shoulders fall in disappointment. He was too cruel.

He gave her seven orgasms and now he was suddenly too busy to do any more? She shakily stood to her feet and followed him out into the hallway. Her eyes cut to the closed bedroom that led into the master suite and from behind the door, she could hear the shower running. Oh yeah, she had almost forgotten about Jiraiya altogether.

Sakura swallowed though it did little to help how dry her mouth had become. It seemed all of the moisture in her body was sitting between her legs and she could feel how bad it was with every step she took following Kakashi. By the time they reached the door he had introduced to her the first night she attended the dinner parties, Sakura was scowling at the back of his head.

As if he sensed her glaring at him, he turned to glance over his shoulder and when he saw the frown on her face, he laughed. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

Kakashi stopped by the door leading down into the basement and leaned a shoulder against the doorframe. He lifted a hand and flicked his finger across her bottom lip. "You're pouting. Good girls don't pout."

"Well, this one does when she gets teased."

Again, Kakashi laughed and the sound both infuriated her and magnified the arousal coursing through her. It wasn't fair that he held this much control over her so quickly. He opened the door and stepped aside to let her lead the way down the stairs. As Sakura passed, he leaned toward her and gripped her by the elbow just tight enough to make her bite her lip.

"If you're good, I'll reward you. But you won't get your way by pouting."

The hold on his elbow relaxed and together, they moved down the stairs. Sakura kept a hand on the railing beside her. His words left her entire body feeling like jello and she was having trouble walking straight. Being in such a close space with him beside her was making her head swim. He smelled like the shower they had taken together last night and she inhaled a deep breath to savor it.

At the bottom of the stairs, Kakashi turned the corner and Sakura followed. Straight ahead was a closed door with another one to the left. The latter, she remembered being the room with the two-way mirror that Kakashi had taken her into the first night. He ignored it this time and moved to the one ahead of them.

He twisted the handle and looked back at her. Sakura was quick to pull her lip between her teeth so he didn't think she was still pouting, though she truly wasn't. The anticipation was leaving no room in her head for anything else. She watched as he pushed the door open and reached for the wall to turn on the light.

Just like the last time, the first thing she noticed was that the dominant color was gray, from the walls to the darker shade of the stained concrete floor. The same bench she had watched Asuma sit and smoke his cigar while Hana positioned herself between his legs was in the same place near the corner of the room.

Sakura took a step further in and glanced to where the two-way mirror was. True to his word, there was no way the occupants of the room could see into where Sakura had stood weeks ago. She looked back at her reflection and frowned at the mess of her hair. She combed her fingers through it and scowled at Kakashi's reflection as he moved around her.

"Ah-ah, no pouting."

"You didn't have to mess my hair up," she countered, pulling it into a twist over one shoulder.

"I like it messy."

Sakura scoffed and let him lead her further into the room--or  _ dungeon,  _ whatever they called it. She found the strange bench that Hana had been bent over and stared at the spots designed for her arms and legs to sit while she laid across the padded length. Kakashi stood beside her and put a palm down on the padding.

"This is a spanking bench. Hopefully, you won't have to ever experience it."

"A spanking bench, hm?" Sakura tapped her middle finger to her chin. "That's not exactly the way Asuma, Hana, and Anko were using it."

His laugh caught her off guard but she liked to hear it. When she turned to face him, he shrugged a shoulder and grinned at her. "Well, it's intended use is for spanking. We like to use our imaginations though."

"I can see that." Sakura pointed to another piece of equipment that had caught her eye the first night. It was a wooden structure in the shape of a giant X. At the top of the two points, there were leather straps and as she followed the shape down to the bottom, she wasn't exactly surprised to see more near the floor. "What is this?"

"Would you like a demonstration?"

Her eyes widened at his suggestion and she whirled around to face him. Surely he wasn't serious. Judging by the sly look in his eyes, she could tell that he was very much serious and willing if she was as well. Heat flushed her face and she tucked her hair behind her ear before turning to look at the structure once more.

"It's intimidating."

"It certainly can be," Kakashi said as he circled around her to stand to one side of the piece. He reached for her hand and guided her closer. Once she was right in the center of the X, he slowly turned her with a hand on her hip until her back was against it. Kakashi took his place in front of her and gently took hold of her wrists. "It can be used as a punishment for particularly bratty subs."

Sakura blinked as the leather cuff wrapped around her left wrist. He was quick to buckle it in place before moving onto her other hand. With a quiet rattle of the metal buckle, she was bound in place and trying to control her breathing.

"But it's also the perfect place to tease you. Your hands are bound and usually, so are your feet." Kakashi traced the back of his hand down her cheek, letting it fall to her throat as he studied her face. "It's sturdy enough that you can writhe and squirm all you want while I tease the fuck out of you."

She let out a breath and let her head fall back so she could look him in the eye. "Isn't that what you're doing now?"

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet, Sakura." With the hand at her throat, he brought it back up to her face and took her by the chin. He positioned her head so she was barely an inch away from his and she could feel his breath across her lips. "Trust me, when I start teasing you, you'll be begging for relief."

The whimper was barely louder than a sigh but it seemed to echo in the wide, empty room around them and Sakura shut her eyes. She pulled at the cuff on her wrist and found that he had secured her well. She wouldn't be getting out of it so easily.

She was dangerously close to begging for that relief already, but she clamped her mouth shut and opened her eyes. His gaze was focused on her lips until he caught sight of her staring and Kakashi lifted it to meet hers. From the corner of her eyes, she saw that insufferable smirk on his face. 

"While you're nice and stuck here, I think I'll show you our little cabinet of toys."

Sakura's eyes went wide and she pulled against the straps once more. They only tightened around her wrist and Kakashi took a few steps backward, watching her struggle. He turned on his heel and crossed to the opposite side of the room where three, wooden cabinets were positioned. The first one opened and he stepped to the side so she could see in.

"This," he started with a hand gesturing at the interior. It was filled with shelves of vibrators and dildos and things Sakura had never even seen before. Kakashi reached inside and thumped one of the larger, intimidating dildos hanging from several straps. "Is Anko's toy cabinet. She's a hoarder and needs one of everything in multiple sizes, shapes, and colors."

Kakashi shut the door and stepped to the next one in the middle. While his back was turned, Sakura looked up at the strap around her wrist and frowned. The buckle was on the back of her hand, far from the reach of her fingers and she sighed. The only way out of this, it would seem, was with Kakashi's help.

At the sound of the hinges of the second cabinet opening, Sakura whipped her head to the front and watched him step to the side. Inside this one were bundles of multicolored ropes. One was bright red and Sakura remembered seeing Shizune being tied up with one just like it weeks ago.

"This is Iruka's specialty, though I'm quite fond of seeing my subs properly tied up as well." Kakashi turned to glance at her, his eyebrows raised. "How're you feeling right now?"

"Frustrated."

"Good," he said with a smile as if he were asking something as simple as how her day was going. Sakura rolled her eyes as he shut the rope cabinet and moved onto the next one. "This one is my favorite. Or, I suppose I should say, it has some of my favorite things inside."

For just a brief moment, Sakura ignored the frustration she was feeling about being tied up, helpless, and powerless, and watched Kakashi step to the third cabinet. He kept his back to her as he opened it and from over his shoulder, she could see an assortment of things inside that made her mouth fall open.

Whips and paddles, cuffs and gags, and an assortment of things she could only imagine the uses for were hanging up inside. Most of them were black in color, but there was one particular toy that was white, with a grey handle and a bright, red ring of leather at the very end. It was this one that Kakashi plucked from the shelf and he turned to face Sakura with it in his hand.

It was a rod and resembled a riding crop. In fact, the closer he stepped to Sakura, the more she was surprised that it  _ was _ a riding crop. She'd never seen one quite like this and her legs wobbled at the sight of it.

Kakashi stood before her once more with the crop in his hands and she watched as he brought the red strip of leather up to her face. It was cool against her cheek and her breath shuddered. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper, and it made her eyes flutter close. "Do you know what this is?"

She nodded--it was all she could bring herself to do at that moment.

"Most doms use them for punishments, but I like to think they have a dual purpose. It can bring pain, and it can bring pleasure." Slowly, he let it trace the line of her jaw and throat and Sakura could feel it brush over the buckles of her dress right where her breasts were heaving with every breath. With his free hand, Kakashi was slowly pulling the fabric of her skirt up to her hips and once she could feel the cool air at the damp spot between her legs, she opened her eyes with a gasp. His eyes were staring into hers so intensely, so intimately, she couldn't stand it. The crop dipped to her thighs and she felt the leather tip brush across her sex. "Of course, it all depends on whether you've been a good girl, or not. Girls that pout, only get pain."

To emphasize his words, he brought the crop down on her inner thigh hard enough to pop but not enough to cause much pain. It surprised her most of all and she sucked in a breath as her eyes went wide. Kakashi chuckled at the sight of her surprise and reached up to where her wrists were still bound.

He unbuckled the restraint easily with one hand and moved onto the other. Once they were both free, Sakura rubbed at them and stared up at Kakashi. He seemed pleased with the demonstration and she was trying her hardest not to pout, though it was all she wanted to do. He had teased her  _ again _ .

"Mmm," he growled, reaching for her face with his free hand. He took hold of her chin and pulled her face so that she was looking up at him. "There's that look again. You're making it hard for me to be patient."

"How do you think I feel?"

"I think you want me to bend you over that bench and fuck you." With his fingers still holding her face, he stepped closer and peered down at her. Those eyes, half-lidded and dark and so full of desire, were making her weak in the knees. She reached out to grip his arm to steady herself. "Is that what you want me to do, Sakura?"

"Yes." Her answer was nothing more than a breath.

"Then you have to be a  _ good girl _ ."

He let her face go and stepped around her, leaving her standing there staring up at the space he had just occupied. How could one man be so frustratingly hot, so insufferably teasing, and yet, she still wanted him more than she had ever wanted another person in her life? It wasn't fair.

Turning on her heel, Sakura found Kakashi back at the cabinet, placing the riding crop back into its space on the shelf. He took a step back and closed the doors and though she couldn't be too sure, she suspected that he was smirking. He knew exactly what he was doing to her and right now, she didn't feel like being a good girl. In fact, she was feeling a bit bratty and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Do you have class today?" He asked as he turned back to face her. It was such a stark contrast to the mood he had set moments ago and she had to blink to get her thoughts out of the sex dungeon.

"No, I don't have classes on Friday."

"Any plans for the day?"

Her heart skipped a beat and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered. She shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"Good." She held her breath, hoping he was going to give her exactly what she wanted. She was being hopeful though and judging by the wicked smirk on his face that she both wanted to smack and kiss, he had other plans for her. "I have an assignment for you."

"An assignment? Are you giving me submissive homework?"

"Yes," he replied simply. Kakashi reached for her face again but instead of grabbing her by the chin, he tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm going to take you home and for the rest of the day, I want you to do nothing but touch yourself. When you feel you're about to come, I want you to stop. If you're a good girl, I'll call you tonight and let you come for me. Can you do that for me?"

_ Fuck _ ...the last thing she wanted was to spend another night alone, touching herself, but she didn't have a choice in this anymore. She had signed that away with a flick of her pen. He was the one in control of her now. At least when it came to her orgasms and if this is what he wanted, then she would have to obey.

Besides, she wanted to do what he asked her so he would reward her. With a nod, she looked up at him through her lashes and found him staring at her lips, waiting for her response. It dawned on her a second later that she should probably be referring to him as sir in moments like this.

"Yes, sir."

He surprised her by lowering his mouth to hers and capturing her in a kiss. The touch of his lips was soft and cool despite the warmth of his breath and she stood on her tiptoes to meet him in the middle. It had been less than 12 hours since she last kissed him but it felt as if it had been weeks.

Her head was swimming and her toes curled on the cold, concrete floor beneath her. Kakashi looped an arm around her waist to hold her closer and he leaned his head to the side to fit better against her mouth.

It was a kiss that carried so much behind it; so many promises that fueled the dark lust blooming within Sakura. She gripped his arms to keep herself from melting away from him and opened her mouth as he kissed her. His tongue was warm against hers and she drank in the taste of him. It was just as delicious as it had been the night before and she was already drunk off of it.

When he pulled away, she whimpered but clamped her lips shut to stop her pouting. She would have to keep a check on that in the future. Kakashi smiled against her lips and pulled away enough to bring the hand he had wrapped around her waist to her hip. He put his forehead against hers and smirked.

"Good girl."

* * *


	13. Sugar and Spice

.

.

* * *

In the few minutes before Sakura's Creative Writing class started, she took the time to just breathe and get a hold of herself. What did she honestly expect anyway? It wasn't like Jiraiya was going to waltz in and address the fact that she had stayed overnight in his house with his teaching assistant in front of her peers.

He was bold, and sure, he had a secret sex dungeon in his house for all of his friends to partake in, but he wasn't an asshole. Nor was he that stupid to do something like that. Kakashi had mentioned that their whole situation wasn't exactly a dark secret, but it would be frowned upon if too many people found out.

Which was why Sakura  _ still _ hadn't answered the questions that her best friend keeps asking about the dinner party last week. Of course, she had done all she could to avoid the big questions, trying to throw Ino off the scent with vague responses that it had been another boring dinner and she had fun. She just didn't go into too much detail about how much fun she'd had. That was something she would keep to herself and besides, her friends wouldn't understand it anyway.

Not after she had made such a big stink about  _ not _ being involved with Kakashi and that there was nothing and  _ would never _ be anything between the two of them. Even when she had said those words to Ino, she knew they had been a lie but now...now they were so much more.

And that thought brought her back to the mini panic attack she was currently having in the back of the classroom on the second floor of the English department. Her leg bounced, pen tapped on the top of her notebook, and she couldn't stop chewing the skin on her bottom lip in worry. It was as if she was worried that she was going to take one look at Jiraiya and confess to the class about what had happened last week and over the weekend.

Just in case, she clamped her teeth tightly together and crossed her legs at the knee. It didn't stop her foot from bouncing and the slight pressure of the seam of her jeans between her thighs only served to remind her of another torment she was facing.

Despite spending the entire weekend in her dorm, touching herself like she normally did, she hadn't reached the level of satisfaction that she was wanting. One night with Kakashi and her standards had reached an all-new high. But it was all his fault that she was still feeling the need to relieve the ache and tension that had been building up inside her.

This morning had been almost unbearable and it took all of her self-control not to defy his orders and just give herself  _ one _ tiny, insignificant orgasm to tide her over. After all, he would never know.

She'd woken up early, an hour before her alarm with Kakashi's commands echoing in her head from the night before. They'd stayed on the phone until nearly midnight and while it had been fun and enjoyable in the most frustrating way imaginable, she was starting to learn that he was a very cruel Dom--only because he knew exactly what she wanted, and how badly she was wanting it, without giving in to her. 

The sound of his laugh and all of the deliciously sinful things he’d said was still in her head as she laid in bed, drumming her fingers over her stomach earlier that morning. She played the conversation over and over, trying to commit the details into her memory so she’d never forget them.

He’d called the night before and asked about her day, listening to her talk about the overly boring things that she’d done that day and she was impatient to get to the good stuff. It wasn't in that typical, normal male way where she could tell they only half-listen to humor her before talking about something they're more interested in. He was actually attentive to what she had to say and even asked about her friends he’d briefly met when they had embarrassed her in front of him.

Even when she tried to say flirty things to steer the conversation in the direction she was begging it to go, he took his sweet time and prolonged her misery. And he was quick to catch on. She had brought up the deal they had made Friday, that she would touch herself and he would call her at night to let her cum--which had been extremely hot the night before. So, why was he being so cruel and torturing her the next night?

She had been practically salivating at the mere sound of his voice and was beyond frustrated with how slow he was taking their conversation. When it was clear he was keeping it tame just to prolong her suffering, Sakura let out a breath and decided to steer him in the right direction.

"So, is this a friendly phone call, or are you keeping up your end of the bargain?" She had asked him, sitting on the edge of her bed with her small, oscillating fan pointed right at her. Despite the cool temperatures outside the past few days, she had been burning up and she knew that was mostly because of him.

When Kakashi laughed, the sound melted through her ear and down into her body, spiking her temperature even more. "A little impatient tonight, are we? Maybe this was just a friendly phone call."

God, she hoped it wouldn't be.

"Well, I'm just making sure you're being a good dom." By making her touch herself and orgasm several times like he had the previous night...and the night before that. What she wouldn't give to feel his mouth on her once more.

"I don't think I'm the one that needs to be good, Sakura. Have  _ you _ been a good girl? Do you deserve to come for me?"

"Yes, sir," she said, nearly breathlessly. With the words barely out of her mouth, she fell back on the mattress and draped an arm over her forehead, staring up at the ceiling of her dorm room. "I have been."

"Promise?"

He was doing all he could to draw this out and she wondered if he knew how badly she was aching. Her body was begging for her own touch and at the same time, it needed so much more. It was craving him, in any form she could get him. Even if it was just his voice whispering in her ear, she wanted it.

"Mmhmm."

Her fingers twitched but she didn't slip them down her body just yet. She had learned enough to wait for his command despite how utterly desperate she was to feel them.

On the other end of the call, she heard him let out a small sigh. "Being a good girl includes being patient. Where are your hands?"

"On my stomach. And holding my phone."

"Good," he said, a hunt of torturous humor in his tone. Sakura felt herself nearly fold in on herself and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Keep them there."

"For how long?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she clamped her teeth over her bottom lip.

"For however long I tell you to," he said slowly, all flirty humor fading from his tone. The sound of it sank deep within her, making her ache even harder for the touch she was needing between her legs. As frustrated as she was, she kept her hands where he had ordered her to and her fingers clenched tight around her t-shirt. "You do want to be a good girl, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Yes,  _ what _ ?"

Sakura whimpered and pushed her head into the blankets beneath her. "Yes, sir."

"Good girl."

If she thought he would reward her for that, she was sorely mistaken. For nearly an hour, he had told her every wicked, delightful, sexual thing he wanted to do to her in vivid detail. He reminded her what it was like to taste her and what she felt like on his tongue. It had been utter torture to hear that he had touched himself to thinking about it that morning and that if she had been patient, she would be coming for him right now.

And as badly as she wanted to disobey him and touch herself anyway, she kept her hands where he had told her. Of course, she had slipped them over her pajama pants just once--okay,  _ twice _ \--but she was quick to pull away just in case she let out a moan that she wouldn't be able to keep quiet.

Just when she thought she couldn't stand it anymore, right when she was debating on whether or not to hang up on him and make herself come  _ anyway _ , he had told her she had learned her lesson.

"I want you to come for me, Sakura...and I don't want you to hold back. I want to hear everything--every moan, every time you say my name, every--"

The door to the classroom slammed shut, jerking Sakura from the memories of her weekend and her hands hit the notebook on her desk with a sharp slap. A few of her classmates turned to stare at her and she felt the heat of embarrassment on her cheeks. Thankfully, the eyes that glanced her way didn’t stay focused on her for long as Jiraiya took his usual place on the stool at the front of the room.

His eyes swept the room and Sakura shrank a bit lower in her seat, hoping the height of the guy in front of her blocked her from being seen. 

“Another Monday, huh? Just when you get used to the weekend, Monday rolls back around.” A few students chuckled at the man and that seemed to satisfy him enough to take a deep breath and pull the metal lectern toward him. “Well, as much as I loathe Mondays, I do like writing. So, let’s get started.”

Sakura lifted the cover of her notebook and quickly flipped to the last page they had left off in their notes. She jotted the date down in the upper corner just as Jiraiya stood from the stool and turned to the board behind him. At the moment his back was turned, Sakura peeked out from behind the shoulder of the guy sitting in front of her.

For someone who owned a home with a sex dungeon, Jiraiya looked nothing like she expected men to look who was into that sort of thing. With his loose-fitting, well-worn cardigan and linen pants, he looked like he belonged on a beach somewhere up north. But they were nowhere near the ocean so she couldn’t really forgive the sandals he wore on a daily basis. At least he didn’t give her too much of a hard time last week about her being in his house. 

She would have to forgive him for his questionable fashion sense for that. 

As he took one of the markers and started writing across the board, she felt her cell phone vibrate in her back pocket. Her pulse jumped and the muscles in her lower belly clenched tightly. Would Kakashi be texting her in class? 

Oh, god, what if he wanted her to do something  _ here _ ? 

She wouldn’t.

She  _ couldn’t _ .

While Jiraiya’s back was still facing her, she snatched her phone out of her pocket and placed it on the center of the desk. There were two messages and neither made her stomach relax. One was from the very man she was hoping to hear from but the other one was from someone she hadn’t thought about much lately.

Sasuke.

His message was simple and short;  _ lunch? _

Her first instinct was to text him a generic excuse, but she couldn’t ignore the slight twinge of guilt that chipped away at her for it. Three weeks ago and she would have given anything to have him go out of his way to hang out with her. Three weeks ago, she was desperate for his attention. Three weeks ago, she didn’t know what she would be getting from Kakashi.

Just thinking about him made her stomach turn somersaults and she swiped Sasuke’s message away to see what the other text said. Opening Kakashi’s, her heart joined her stomach, and together, they fluttered like crazy.

_ Are you enjoying your day? _

It wasn’t exactly his message that sent her body reacting the way it was, but his name. She had stored his number into her phone under the title  _ Mr. Hatake _ and seeing it was seriously making her start to sweat. The muscles between her thighs clenched and she tucked her hair behind her ear as she shot a glance to the front of the class to make sure she wasn’t missing much.

She was.

Jiraiya had moved onto a new lesson and she snatched her pen from the desk to catch up. He was on tenses in storytelling and she quickly copied the notes he had on the board.

“Now, I know most of you guys--if not all--wrote your first two assignments in past tense. And that’s okay. But I’d like for you to practice in past and present for your next two assignments.” The words went in one ear and right out the other for Sakura. Her mind was a thousand miles away currently and she tried to focus on what he was saying, but it was no use when  _ Mr. Hatake’s _ text message was still on her screen.

Jiraiya turned back to the board and wrote down a short sentence with the marker. “She  _ was _ hungry. She  _ wanted _ food. Just watch out for your verbs and when you write in present tense, it turns into she  _ is _ hungry, she  _ wants  _ food.”

Sakura followed along with his notes but changed just a few things. 

_ She  _ ** _is_ ** _ horny. _

_ She  _ ** _wants_ ** _ Mr. Hatake. _

The heat on her face flared and she quickly scribbled through the two lines. It was official. She wasn’t in the right headspace for creative writing today unless it involved the kind of creativity that someone in particular had. Without risking a glance to see if Jiraiya was looking her way, she scooped up her cell phone and quickly typed a response.

_ I’m trying to pay attention in class, but now I’m distracted _

** _Mr. Hatake_ ** _ : Is that so? And what has made you so distracted? _

_ Someone who should know better. _

** _Mr. Hatake_ ** _ : Ah, I suppose you’re right. I just wanted to know what you’re doing this afternoon? _

Sakura’s eyes widened and she held her breath at the sight of his question. There was a strange mixture of emotions weaving their way through her. Anticipation, nervousness, excitement; they all created an indescribable tangle that she was having trouble figuring out. Did he want to see her again so soon because he  _ wanted _ to see her or because he was wanting to do  _ more _ ? Was she ready for more?

With a quick glance up at the front of the class to watch Jiraiya write another line of notes on the board that Sakura was not paying attention to, she turned back to her cell phone and quickly typed a response. 

_ I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, but nothing planned after that. _

His responses were quick and each one sent another jolt of those emotions racing through her. 

** _Mr. Hatake_ ** _ : Oh? I hope everything’s alright. _

_ I’m just scheduled for my birth control shot. Did you want to hang out or something? _

Her finger hovered over the screen as she clamped her teeth around her bottom lip. She didn’t know why she was having such a moment about this. It was like she didn’t know how to act around him, like at the beginning of their...friendship? That didn’t seem like the right word, but nothing else did either. Whatever he was to her--friend, lover,  _ dom _ \--she knew acting like this was a bit silly.

He had given her multiple orgasms and had orchestrated three of them over the weekend with just his voice. Acting like she was shy around him almost made her want to laugh out loud. She pursed her lips and hit send on the message, sliding her phone to the side so she could pay attention to the lesson. 

Which was, of course, harder done than said. 

Every word Jiraiya said went in one ear and right out the other. Her thoughts refused to focus on present tense verbs and phrases and wanted to think about nothing except for the text message that vibrated quietly on top of her notebook. She clenched her fists in her lap and cut her eyes down to the screen. A preview of the text showed and she leaned closer to look down at it.

** _Mr. Hatake_ ** _ : Something like that. Text me when you leave your appointment and we’ll figure things out. _

_ Are you going to give me a hint at least? _

** _Mr. Hatake_ ** _ : Pay attention to your lessons, Ms. Haruno. I know you want to be a good girl. _

She quickly swallowed the groan that threatened to emerge from the back of her throat. Beneath her desk, her thighs clamped tightly together and she quickly reached to snatch her phone off the desk. She did as he told her and slid her phone back into her pocket before facing the front of the classroom once more. If Jiraiya had noticed her lack of attention, he didn’t say anything and she was thankful.

If he called her out for staring at her phone, her face would have burned hot. It already was just from Kakashi’s messages. And he hadn’t even said anything too sexual. Just seeing the words  _ good girl _ from him was really taking its toll. 

The fact that in a few short hours, they would be together once again, was almost too much to think about. She wasn’t ready mentally. Physically, she was wishing that time would speed up, but that didn’t really help her prepare for seeing him again. She would need these next few hours to prepare herself because if tonight was anything like the last night they had been together, it was going to be quite an experience.

.

.

Standing on the sidewalk outside of her doctor's office in downtown Konoha, Sakura rubbed at the spot on her stomach where she had received the latest dose of her birth control. Her pain tolerance had always been high but these needles were on another level. Each time felt like a bee sting and she was usually grumpy afterward. But, any other time, she wouldn't be in the middle of sending a text message to a man who wanted to hang out with her afterward.

A man that would put her birth control to good use.

Her face flushed as bright red as the stoplight across the street and she turned as her thumbs tapped quickly over the screen. They hadn't texted one another since the brief conversation during class, but he had told her to message him after she left her appointment. Did he want to get food? Or do a different kind of eating?

Sakura's toe caught on a crack in the sidewalk and she managed to catch herself before her thoughts made her stumble and fall. She had to stop thinking about dirty things while she was trying to walk. It would do her no good to daydream and get hit by the bus. Which, she was nearly late for!

She hurried across the street to the bus stop and shoved the small, paper bag down into her purse. It was absolutely filled with free, loose condoms that the clinic insisted on handing out to anyone that walked through their doors. And while Sakura had declined them the first time around, she couldn't say no to them this time.

Just in case.

In her hand, her phone vibrated and she turned it over, happy to already receive a text response from him. But it didn't stop vibrating and she stared down at his name on her phone. He was calling her.

Swallowing down her sudden rush of nerves, Sakura swiped her thumb across the screen and lifted it to her ear. "Hello?"

"What are you doing?"

Just the sound of his voice made her knees weak and she reached with her free hand toward the bus stop bench. She leaned into her palm and glanced down the street where the city bus was slowly ambling through a green light. "I'm waiting for the bus."

"Mm. Well, how about you wait for me to pick you up instead?"

His tone made the corner of her lips curl into a cheeky smile and she turned away from the bus growing closer. "You assume I'm alone. What if I'm with someone?"

"Are you with someone?"

"No."

The shriek of the bus' brakes briefly cut through their conversation and Sakura turned away from the street as it slowed closer to her stop. From the other end of the call, she could hear Kakashi's throaty laugh over the hiss of the bus.

"I didn't think so. Now, you can either take the bus or you can wait for me. I've got a nice, clean seat with your name on it."

Sakura stared up at the doors of the bus as they opened with a shake of the mechanics and she blinked up at the older gentleman behind the wheel. He stared at her, one hand on the steering wheel, waiting for her to get on.

"Are you talking about the seat in the car or something else?"

Again, Kakashi laughed and her knees wobbled with weakness. "Only one way to find out."

She turned away from the bus and took a few steps in the opposite direction, ignoring the string of curses the bus driver mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. With another hiss and a blast of exhaust, the bus rolled away and Sakura was left behind. She smiled and gave Kakashi her location before ending the call.

It was an unexpected turn of events, but one she wasn't going to complain about. Sure, she had thought she would have time to make it back to her dorm to actually prepare and wear something nicer than a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a faded sweater that she'd had for several years, but knowing that she would be in Kakashi's car again, near him and possibly experience more things he had to offer was making her feel better. If not a little nervous. Okay, a  _ lot _ nervous.

She smoothed her hair back and cursed herself for throwing it up into a quick ponytail that morning. What she wouldn't give to look fuckable, because she knew he would. Then again, when did he not?

Before she could start to feel a bit silly standing on the sidewalk like a statue, a familiar black sedan rolled around the corner. Instantly, her spine straightened and she shook the loose hair away from her face. A squeak emerged from her throat and she quickly swallowed the rest of it back as the car slowed to a stop at the curb in front of her.

Sakura was breathless as she opened the door and dropped into the seat. In a rush of the cool AC pouring from the dash, the scent of him was everywhere all at once and she took just a quick second to close her eyes and savor the smell of it. When she opened her eyes, he was already pulling back into the street and she dropped her purse full of condoms into the floor at her feet.

"Hey," she breathed, turning to him while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

The side of his mouth lifted and he slowed to a stop beneath a red light. "Hey. Everything go well at your appointment?"

For a second, she was having trouble concentrating. He turned to her and all she could see was how good he looked with his dark sunglasses and hair that defied gravity and begged for her fingers to run through it. But she was brought back to sanity when he raised his eyebrow and she blushed as he waited for her answer.

"Oh," she laughed, turning away to hide the flush of her cheeks. "Yeah, everything was fine. Just got a shot in my stomach."

"Ouch, the stomach? That sounds painful."

Sakura grinned and turned to face him now that the warmth had sunk back through her body and away from her face. "I barely felt it." Which was a total lie. That damn shot was a little bitch to get, but she wasn't about to admit that to him. She shook the hair from her face. "So, what do you have planned for us today?"

Kakashi let off the brake and sped through the intersection, heading toward the University before he turned to the left. It was a side of town she didn't frequent often, but only because it was mostly pawnshops and offices. "I thought we could do a little shopping."

At this, her ears pricked and she frowned. "I think the mall is on the opposite side of the town."

His laugh was deep yet soft and Sakura felt it sink into her, warming her from the inside all over again. He made another turn and if she hadn't been staring at him, she would have seen the store at the corner of the block. "The mall doesn't exactly have what I have in mind."

"What do you have.... _ Oh _ ."

She stared up at the neon pink sign in the front window of the shop as Kakashi pulled the car into an empty space out front. The letters spelled 'Sugar & Spice', with a pair of neon lips on one side and devil horns on the other. She'd heard about this place, but only from Tenten who had driven past it one day. They had all joked about going inside but had never made the effort.

Her friends were going to be quite jealous that she had been to Konoha's only sex shop without them.

Blinking herself from the daze, she looked up at the display windows. A black curtain was hung behind them, not letting anyone have a peek into the actual store. But in front of the curtain, there was a mannequin dressed in lingerie, and small displays with little bottles of lubricant that were on sale were positioned in front of it. There were fuzzy handcuffs hanging from the mannequin's hand and a sign hung beside it that said 'XXX DVDs - Buy One Get One'.

In a flash, Sakura's blush returned and she shifted nervously in the seat. "What exactly are we shopping for?”

She was almost too nervous to hear the answer. If he was wanting to buy her handcuffs and crops and whips, she might need a minute to calm her nerves. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Kakashi turned the engine off and pulled the keys from the ignition. He turned her way, but she didn't take her eyes off the front of the shop windows ahead of them.

"I thought it would be helpful for you to see some of these things in a different setting than the house. I’m aware that it might have been a bit intimidating last week."

He was right about that. Being tied up to that structure, watching him move around the room like a predator still sent chills down her spine at the thought. Sakura took her bottom lip between her teeth and considered his idea, glancing toward the mannequin dressed in a gauzy, floor-length housecoat with fuzzy feathers around the wrists. The store didn't seem  _ that _ intimidating. Surely this wouldn’t be worse than a literal sex dungeon.

"Okay," Sakura said with a coy smile, turning to face Kakashi. "Let's do it."

His eyebrows raised above his sunglasses and as his lips curled into a slow, devilish grin, heat poured through her like water. At that moment, he could have suggested they stay in the car and do all sorts of dirty things right there in the parking lot and she would have obeyed. How did he have such control over her already?

Was she at least going to  _ try _ to put up a fight over this?

Apparently not.

Her hand was already on the car door by the time she realized she may have been a bit  _ too _ obedient with his wants and as she opened her door, he did the same and stepped out. The gentle breeze that blew the loose hair across her face did little to help the heat across her skin and she ducked her head to hide the evidence of it on her cheeks.

Thankfully, Kakashi met her at the front of the car and took her hand to lead her up to the front of the store. There weren't many people around--most of them too caught up in the conversation they were having on their cell phones or heading to their car to notice her. But that didn't make her any less nervous. She let him step ahead of her and reach for the door while she took another glance up at the front of the building.

The bright, neon  _ open _ sign was hanging above the door and as Kakashi opened it, a bell chimed from inside. Sakura was met with a blast of the AC and she shivered. Whatever relief she got from the warmth that Kakashi's touch was giving her quickly disappeared as soon as they stepped into the shop.

Directly in front of the door, toward the back of the space, was a circular counter where a man stood with his arms crossed over his chest right behind the cash register. He had a small pair of sunglasses covering his eyes but even without them, Sakura could see the frown wrinkling his eyebrows and turning his mouth downward.

Sakura's eyes swept away from him to the left side of the room while Kakashi stepped to her right. The name of the store carried throughout the interior as well. Pinks and reds made up every display on this side of the store. Here, the items for sale were what she would classify as  _ mild _ or of the more romantic nature. Lingerie of all colors, costumes, couple's toys, and several shelves of those XXX-rated DVDs were set up.

As her steps slowed and Kakashi moved in front of her, giving her a better view of the right side of the store, Sakura felt her jaw drop. There was black leather, toys of extreme sizes and purposes, and an entire  _ swing _ on display. Whips, paddles, leather masks, blindfolds, and some of the biggest dildos she could ever imagine were on the right side of the store and she could only stare in horror and awe as Kakashi pulled her further in that direction.

"Hey!" A voice from the center of the room caught her attention and she jerked her head toward the counter. The man behind the register had unfolded one arm from around him and was pointing at Sakura with his brows pinched. "She over 18?"

Kakashi scoffed and he came to a stop a few steps from the counter. "Do you really think I'd bring someone underage in here, Ebisu?"

"You also know the policy. Anyone that even  _ looks _ underage has to show their ID."

"Oh, that's fine. I have my ID." Sakura was already reaching for her purse despite Kakashi's obvious offense at the inconvenience. Quickly, she plunged her hand inside it for her wallet, and as soon as she wrenched it up, the bag of condoms she had gotten from the clinic tipped, spilling the majority of them onto the floor. Both Kakashi and the man he called Ebisu stared at them as they fell to her feet and again, her face lit up brighter than the neon sign out front.

"They're from the clinic," she rushed to say, stooping down to snatch them back up. By the time they were back inside her purse and she was zipping it shut, Kakashi was turned away from her but she could clearly see the shake of his shoulders as he tried to hide his laughter. With a roll of her eyes, she opened her wallet and slid her ID out to show to the man.

He snatched it from her and studied the front of the card, glancing up at her with that same frown turning his mouth downward. After several seconds of him scrutinizing her ID, looking at every detail, he scoffed and handed the car back to her with it between his first two fingers. “You look young for twenty.”

“Thanks, I think.” Sakura slid her ID back into her wallet and shoved it down into her purse, ignoring the slight shake of Kakashi’s shoulders as he continued to chuckle to himself. He was getting too much enjoyment out of her misery and she scowled at the back of his head. Before she could open her mouth and chastise him about it, Ebisu spoke up.

“All lubes are twenty-five percent off, DVDs are buy one get one, and if you spend over fifty bucks, you get to pick a free gift from the table.” He swept his arm toward a small, round table near the cash register and Sakura glanced toward it.

There were three plastic bins set up and as she stood on her tiptoes to peer into them, she saw they were filled with cheap panties, various accessories, and pocket vibrators. The last was what caught her eye and she chewed the inside of her bottom lip. It would be nice to have something like that. As much as she had grown used to her own fingers over the years, she had always thought having a vibrator would just be easier.

To her right, Kakashi was peering down into the bins as well, but he didn’t seem too interested in what was inside them. That is until he dipped his hand into the first bin and looped his middle finger around a thin strip of red. Sakura watched him pull out a thong with hardly any actual coverage and she lifted her eyes to meet his.

He had taken his sunglasses off and pushed them onto the top of his head. His hair was wild, poking out from beneath them in every angle but  _ fuck _ , he was hot. It struck her suddenly and she could barely form a coherent thought as she stared at him. 

“What do you think?” He asked with a cheeky grin tilting the corner of his mouth.

Sakura shook the daze out of her head and snatched the thong from him before dropping it back into the bin. “You’re like a kid in a candy store right now.”

“What can I say?” She watched him shrug a shoulder and the smile stretch into that devilish grin that never failed to make her knees weak. “This place has all of my favorite things in it right now.”

He turned away to face the right side of the store where things were darker and more intense, but Sakura was stuck rooted to the spot. What had he meant by that? All of his favorite things...Was that strictly sex toys and dirty things or did it include  _ her _ as well? Swallowing down the intrusive thoughts in her head, Sakura glanced toward the register to see Ebisu still staring at her with that suspicious frown and she quickly looked away.

In three steps, she made her way up behind Kakashi and circled him to look toward the display he stood in front of. The wall was made up of various bondage gear and Sakura’s eyes widened as they swept over the products. On the left side of the wall, there were blindfolds of all colors. Some were generic, with lace and ribbons and others were made of leather and strapped around the back of the head with buckles. 

Moving along the wall, she found masks that covered the head completely and muzzles that immediately made her think of Hana on all fours in the dungeon. Warmth lit her face and she risked a glance up at Kakashi. He was looking ahead, but something told her he was waiting for her reaction. 

Sakura shifted on her feet and pointed to one of the larger boxes toward the bottom of the wall. It was a black package with a man--or what she assumed was a man--on the front. His head was completely covered in leather with only a hole for the mouth and she let out a small, nervous laugh at the image.

“People actually want to wear that?” She didn’t know why she was whispering. It felt wrong to speak loudly though. 

“Some people. Not me.” Before the next question could form on her tongue, Kakashi looked at her with a small smile. “I prefer to see my sub and besides, you’re much too pretty to hide behind a mask.”

All at once, the butterflies in her stomach flared to life and went crazy from her belly to her chest and she blinked in surprise. A small smile lifted her lips and she ducked her head to hide the flush of shyness across her cheeks. Despite the AC on full blast, she was feeling hot again and she stepped around Kakashi to move on to the next wall. 

The distance between them did little to stop the heat and she was beginning to regret wearing her cardigan. As she stopped in front of the next wall of products, her eyes swept over them and she felt Kakashi follow behind her. 

“You know,” he started, leaning toward her until he was just above her ear. The side of his face brushed against the loose hair from her ponytail and a wave of shivers fell down her spine. “If you see anything you’re interested in, you should tell me.”

“Oh,” She breathed, wishing he would come closer and step away at the same time. It was hard enough keeping her hands off of him and she didn’t want to make more of a fool of herself in front of the guy at the register. To keep her hands occupied, Sakura reached out and grabbed the first box she found. “I’m not sure I know what a lot of this stuff is.”

The front had the image of four leather cuffs all connected in the middle by metal links, making an X shape. Kakashi took the box from her and turned it around to read the back of it. “Well, you would be on your stomach and your wrists would be in two of the cuffs behind your back and the others would be on your ankles and you would be in a  _ very _ compromising situation.” 

How did he make bondage instructions sound so sexy? Sakura could only stare down at the box in his hands as she tried to remember how to breathe. She watched him put it back on the rack before he moved further down and plucked a different box from the wall. This one was longer and the front had an image of a metal bar with two cuffs on the end of it.

She didn’t have time to ask what it was. 

“Now, this one,” he said, dropping his voice low as he leaned toward her. “Would look good on you.”

Sakura’s eyes widened a bit as she took the package from him and stared down at the picture on the front. There was a pair of legs with the straps buckled around the ankles and the adjustable bar was extended. The other one looked intense but this one was...doable. 

Feeling another blush creep to her face, Sakura took her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from smiling and nodded. “I like this one.”

“Good.” Kakashi took the box from her hand and set it back on the shelf. She barely had time to blink in surprise before he glanced back at her from over his shoulder. “I have a better one at home.”

He left her staring at him as he turned away from her and moved onto the next section where the dildos of varying--mostly intimidating--sizes were. Sakura’s gaze fell instantly to the bottom rack where toys that were as long and thick as her arm were sitting and she quickly averted her eyes from it. “Don’t worry,” came Kakashi’s quiet voice, making her lift her head. “I’d much rather put myself inside you.”

The cheeky smirk on his face let her know he was well aware of how she was reacting, even when she was trying her hardest  _ not _ to. His words had been gasoline on the fire already flickering inside her and she could only stand there, in front of the wall of dildos, staring up at him. If the man behind the counter wasn’t there, she couldn’t be too sure she wouldn’t have jumped Kakashi right then.

It wasn’t fair that he had this power over her body like this. In such a short amount of time--it had only been four days since she had agreed to all of this--he had completely taken over her. With one signature on the line of that contract, she’d given him control of her body but she had never imagined it would be like this.

Was she  _ that _ needy? Or was he just  _ that _ good?

Never taking her eyes off of him, she followed him down the length of the wall, stepping behind the sex-swing set up as a display in the middle of the floor. She’d been curious about it, but now that it was right behind her, she could barely think about it. 

Kakashi’s voice snatched her from her daze, making her blink as he glanced back to make sure she was still there behind him. “Remember, if you see something you’re curious about, let me know.”

What she was most curious about was  _ him _ .

The desire to know more about him was sudden and she swallowed down the dozens of questions she wanted to ask him. How did he get into this lifestyle? What did he get out of it? Why did a man who could have literally any straight woman want  _ her _ ?

Clearing her throat and trying to push the questions out of her mind, Sakura looked to the wall in front of him and took a breath. There were paddles and crops and whips hanging from the pegs and she frowned. It was a bit difficult trying to concentrate on sex toys when she was still trying to figure him out. 

Still, Sakura reached out and hooked a finger around a thin, stainless steel whipping rod. It was labeled at the top for ‘extreme use’ and she shook her head. “This looks extremely painful.”

“Some people like the pain.”

“Do you?” She lifted her head to peer up at him and the look on his face nearly stole her breath. The question apparently caught them both off guard and she quickly tried to cover it up. “I mean...do you like inflicting that kind of pain on someone?”

“Only if you ask me to.”

Ah, his answer was so frustrating. Why could he never give her a straight answer? It was always wrapped tightly in a neat little bow of innuendos and flirtations that flustered her. Taking a deep breath that caught halfway in her chest, Sakura let the whipping rod fall back to the wall and moved on. The way he was staring at her, watching her as if he were waiting for her to say or do something in particular, was starting to make her sweat.

She passed in front of him and studied the other various toys hanging from the pegs. A flat, black paddle caught her eye but only because there was a familiar shape cut out of the leather. There was a strip of red beneath it and Sakura scoffed at the sight of two cherries joined together at the stem cut into the paddle. She lifted it off the peg and turned to present it to Kakashi.

“This is rather fitting.”

He plucked it from her fingers and the corners of his eyes lifted in a smile. “Then I think that’s a sign we should buy it.”

“You know,” Sakura said, glancing back to the circular counter in the middle of the store. Thankfully, the man working the register was no longer staring at her suspiciously and was stocking little bottles of lube on a display on the wall. “I wouldn’t mind having one of those pocket vibrators…”

Kakashi glanced back at the table in front of the register with the bins of free gift items. “Those are trash. We can find you one that will last much longer and give you better orgasms.”

He took her by the hand and Sakura blinked up at him, unable to even respond before he was turning her toward the opposite side of the store. The sugary side was such a stark contrast, but it was just as intimidating. An entire wall was dedicated to vibrators of all sorts of sizes and shapes. Some resembling cocks, others shaped like animals. 

Sakura wrinkled her nose at the dolphin-shaped vibrator and was relieved when Kakashi steered her toward a small section labeled ‘for couples’ at the top of the rack. Her eyes widened at the sign and she felt as if all the air had been pulled from her lungs. Couples? Were they a couple? 

Her entire body tingled with delight at the thought and she could barely focus on what Kakashi was reaching for. It was a plastic package with a simple device inside. It was pink, softly curved in the shape of a U, and looked as if it would fit perfectly in some intimate areas of her anatomy. But her eyes caught sight of the words across the top and she leaned closer. Surely she was seeing things.

_ Bluetooth Remote Control _

Sakura took hold of the plastic packaging and turned it to face her, blinking down at it in disbelief. “They come with remote controls?”

“This one does.”

“That's convenient, I suppose. Don’t even have to move to change the settings.”

At her ear, Kakashi laughed softly and it made her shiver. “Convenient for  _ me _ , yes.” When she looked up at him in surprise, his grin curled the edges of his lips. “You didn’t think you’d be the one in control, did you?”

“I…” 

“Oh, Sakura,” he purred, reaching with his free hand to curl a finger beneath her chin. The pad of his thumb brushed the line of her bottom lip and his dark eyes fell to stare at it. “It’s going to be so much fun to torment you with this.”

Her breath shuddered at his words and she searched his eyes, finding all of the dark delights he was feeling from this. “Fun for you or for me?”

“I think we’ll both get what we want from it. Your pleasure  _ is _ my pleasure, remember?”

And with that, his fingers fell away from her face and he stepped to the side, leaving her beside the wall of couples toys while she fought to come to her senses. She blinked but it did little to help clear out the fog of arousal from her head. Somehow, she was able to turn on her heel and found Kakashi moving toward the circular counter at the center of the shop.

The suspicious worker, Ebisu, stepped up to the register as soon as Kakashi put the two items on the counter and when he glanced back at Sakura, she followed behind him. In a few steps, she was at his side and he never took his eyes off of her. There was so much behind his dark gaze, so many promises and plans for her and Sakura wanted them all. 

As out of her comfort zone as all of this was for her, and despite Kakashi being an intimidating force that she wasn’t sure she’d ever figure out, she was ready to follow him down this path he wanted to show her. She was nervous, excited, scared, and constantly turned on, but through the hurricane of dizzying emotions, Sakura was finally sure that she wanted this. 

Every bit of it.

Every bit of  _ him _ .

So caught up in the promise behind Kakashi’s stare, she hadn’t realized that Ebisu had rung the items up in the computer until he turned to them and spoke. “You can pick one free gift from the table if you want.”

Kakashi blinked and turned to face him, frowning as if he were caught in the trance of Sakura’s stare the same way she had been with him. He cleared his throat and stepped back so she could look into the three bins sitting on the table. Standing on her tiptoes, she peered down into the first bin where the cheap strips of fabric trying to pass off as underwear was bundled together. 

There was no way she was going to find anything she wanted in there and she didn’t exactly need a vibrator--especially since he had said they were trash. Which left the other bin sitting in the middle of the two. Sakura hooked her finger around the edge and pulled it closer to her, staring down at the various items.

Some looked to be marked down clearance items and others were just as cheap as the vibrators and panties. There were several cock rings and novelty jewelry that were shaped like dicks but there was something that caught her eye. It was a thin strip of leather with a silver, metal circle in the center. Sakura pulled the choker out of the assortment of items and smiled at it.

It was dainty, easy to pass off as something fashionable and she couldn’t help recall what they had talked about while drawing up their contract. She had asked him what collaring was and had admitted that she was into it. 

Kakashi reached out and let the leather drape across his fingers before he brushed his thumb over the hoop in the center of it. Their eyes met at the same time and the corner of his lips lifted in a coy, knowing smile. Not waiting for her to decide either way, Kakashi placed the choker on the counter. 

“We’ll take this.”

Once the items were paid for and bagged up, Kakashi gave Ebisu a quick nod, and together, he and Sakura left  _ Sugar & Spice _ . Outside, the sun had come out from behind the clouds and warmed the air. Sakura took a deep breath of it once she was back on the sidewalk and spun on her heel to face the man behind her. Her eyebrows lifted as she gestured down to the black bag in his hands.

“So, when do we get to try these out?”

Kakashi chuckled and stepped around her. “You’re so impatient. I’d have thought you would learn your lesson after this last weekend.”

Warmth lit her face at the memory of his lessons on patience during their phone call on Saturday night. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him from the front of his car. “I think I’ve been pretty patient.”

“I don’t think that’s up to you to decide.” As soon as the words left his mouth, she frowned and Kakashi stared at her sternly. He lifted his free hand and took her chin in his hands. “Good girls don’t pout, Sakura.”

She decided to ignore him and switched up her tactics. Hopefully, if she made him want her as well, he’d give in just a bit. And what better way to do that than to put ideas into his head? “Well, can I at least take my goodies home to try them out on myself?” 

“ _ Your _ goodies? I think you’re mistaken, Ms. Haruno. These are  _ ours _ to play with and trust me, we will play with them. But for now, I’m running late and have just enough time to take you back to your dorm.”

Sakura couldn’t help her jaw falling open in surprise. Did that mean they weren’t going to spend the next few hours enjoying their new toys? All of this had been just one, long teasing session and she had never felt the need to pout more than she did right now. She managed to stop herself from stamping her heel to the ground but crossed her arms over her chest. 

“You’re such a--”

Kakashi closed the distance between them and stared down at her, cutting through whatever she had been wanting to say. “Choose your words carefully, Sakura. I can make this  _ so _ much worse for you. I can drag it out for  _ days _ until you’re crying and begging me to let you cum. Is that what you want?”

She clamped her mouth shut so fast, her teeth snapped and she shifted her gaze away from him. Shame burned at her cheeks and she knew it was better to stop being a brat now before she digs herself any deeper. “No.”

“No  _ what _ .”

“No, sir…”

“Good girl. Now, let's get you back to your dorm.”

With a final glance to her lips and back up to her eyes, telling her that she’d better behave with only a look, Kakashi turned back to the car and moved to the driver’s side. Sakura let out a breath and moved to her door. From over the top of the car, he looked at her and the corners of his lips lifted into a wicked grin that lit her body in a fire that left no room to breathe.

If she hadn’t experienced first hand the rewards he was promising, she might have turned on her heel to walk home. But he had convinced her last week that if she did as he told, the wait, the teasing, all of the torment he forced her to endure was worth it. And as frustrated and turned on and unbelievably  _ wet _ she was currently, a part of her--a part that he coaxed out of hiding within her--was enjoying every prolonged moment of his torture.

Sakura let her head fall back against the seat and she blinked up at the visor above her, biting the inside of her cheek to focus on the sting instead of the ache between her thighs. As the car pulled out onto the street once more, she felt him glance at her quickly. 

“Tomorrow,” he said, his voice quiet. “What do you have planned?”

“Um…” It was hard to even think beyond how fucking badly she wanted to crawl into his lap. Blinking her thoughts away from the ache within her, Sakura took a deep breath and shrugged. “I have class until three and then I was going to the library to work on some stuff. But it’s not too important.”

“Your education is extremely important, Ms. Haruno. And what kind of teaching assistant would I be if I pulled you away from your studies?” Kakashi was teasing her again and the corner of his eye creased with delight as he glanced at her. “Just let me know when you’re done at the library. I’ll meet you there and maybe--if you’re  _ good _ \--we can have some fun.”

Sakura was nodding before the words ever left his mouth. Tomorrow was too far away, but she was more than capable of waiting until then to get what she was craving. “I can be good.”

“I know you can and I know you will.” His hand left the steering wheel to settle on her knee and even through her jeans, she could feel the warmth from his palm. It was nothing and yet, at the same time, it nearly made her come undone. “Oh, and wear a skirt.”

She blinked and turned to face him as he drove through the streets of downtown Konoha. Swallowing, she nodded and stared down at his hand on her knee, the corner of her lips curling into a smile. “Yes, sir.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm only a little sorry for this being a major tease but hopefully, the next chapter won't take me 7 months to write because it's going to be good. Wickedly good.


	14. Lessons With Mr. Hatake

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* * *

The only sounds that could be heard on the third floor of the university library were the sighs of frustration that happened every few minutes. Sakura let a breath out to blow her hair away from her face and stared down at the textbook open in front of her. The words on the pages blurred in and out of focus and she shifted in the chair, trying to concentrate on what they said.

Of course, that was much easier to do when she wasn’t too busy thinking about what the next few hours could bring. Kakashi hadn’t told her much, just to wear a skirt and meet him outside the library at 8.

Now that it was half an hour til, she was having a hard time thinking about or caring at all about the upcoming Sociology quiz. How was she supposed to concentrate on conflict theory when all she could think about was being rewarded for being good. And she had tried hard to be good. She had been patient on the phone with him the previous night, not pushing the conversation toward anything sexy.

Even when he told her how much he was looking forward to making her cum, even when he described in vivid, very sexual detail all of the things he would do to her, she didn’t push him for more. And when he had ended the phone call without letting her touch herself, she’d only pouted for a good ten minutes.

That was something.

She just hoped it was enough for him to reward her because she was right on the verge of begging for it already. Something told her that the kind of begging she was thinking of, was not the kind Kakashi would accept. This wasn’t going to be an  _ oh, please let me touch myself _ kind of begging. He was going to want so much more from her.

The thought of it, all of the anticipation and ache for it, was starting to take its toll.

Sakura had done what he had said and worn a skirt. She didn’t have many in her closet and he had already seen two of the three she did have so she resorted to wearing the only other one she kept around. It was a flowy kind of material that reached just above her knees. It was a deep red color with tiny flowers printed on it--the kind of skirt you’d wear to a nice brunch with your parents.

Nothing about it screamed ‘sexy submissive’ that she had been hoping for, but there weren’t that many options for her to choose from. Paired with a cream-colored turtleneck and the same pair of ankle boots Kakashi had complimented her on so many weeks ago, she felt just cute enough for him to appreciate.

And if he appreciated it enough to want to completely ravish her, then she’d be okay with that.

The sound of her phone vibrating beside her textbook made her pulse quicken and she snatched the device, turning it over to blink down at the screen. She’d been expecting a text from Kakashi, hoping for one that said he couldn’t wait to meet her and was already outside waiting. But it wasn’t Kakashi or even a text at all.

Ino was calling her.

For a second, just a moment of hesitation, Sakura debated on ignoring it. Knowing her best friend would just keep calling until she answered, she swiped the call button and put the phone to her ear.

“Hello?” She glanced around but it seemed that the guy who had been working on an assignment on the opposite side of the room was gone. She had the whole floor to herself apparently and didn’t have to keep herself so quiet. The phone call was a perfect excuse to take a break and stretch her legs--though she hadn’t really studied hard enough to take a break.

“What are you doing this weekend?”

_ Hopefully experiencing multiple orgasms, _ Sakura thought to herself. With a deep breath, she sat back in her chair and knew she had to stop thinking so much about sex. It was going to become a problem before long. “I’m not sure. What are you scheming?”

“You make me sound like a villain or something. I’m  _ scheming  _ a party at my place.”

“Oh? Didn’t we just go to a party not too long ago?” Ugh, bringing up the frat party and where Sakura had tried to get Sasuke to fuck her in that closet was not something she wanted to think about anymore--or ever again. She was still humiliated over it.

“That wasn’t  _ my _ party though. I think I can do far better than a trashy frat party.” Ino sounded offended but she was right. Her parties usually were quite fun and Sakura always had a great time at them.

But lately, she hadn’t been in much of a partying mood--and not just because the last one soured it for her. The thought of playing drinking games, listening to loud music, or dancing with her friends just seemed to be…getting old. Sakura’s nose wrinkled and she stood from the chair, circling to the floor-to-ceiling shelves of books behind her. 

“Who all is invited?” 

Translation: Is Sasuke coming?

She had left him on read the day before and was still feeling a bit weird about it. She didn’t make a habit out of ghosting people, especially people she had been trying to sleep with for months. On the other end of the call, Ino took a deep breath.

“Well,” she started, a hint of excitement in her voice. “I’m sure the usual crowd will be there but there are some other people from my Psych 220 class that are pretty cool that I plan to invite.”

Sakura opened her mouth to respond, wanting to get her best friend’s advice on what to do about the whole Sasuke situation--because she was definitely not equipped to handle whatever was happening there--but Ino added something that made her snap her lips shut again.

“And I thought maybe you could invite Mr. Sexy TA.”

“Oh, well there’s no way in hell I’m doing that,” Sakura said quickly, ending with a scoff. She crossed through the Q-R-S section of books and rounded to where the T’s started. There wasn’t anything in particular she was looking for, but there was too much nervous energy inside her to sit still for very long. 

Checking the time again--only five minutes had passed since she last checked--Sakura brought the phone back to her ear to hear Ino sigh. “And why not?”

“You  _ know _ why.”

“So you can traipse off to one of  _ his _ dinner parties but you can’t bring him to one of mine?” The sound of offense in Ino’s tone was genuinely surprising and Sakura frowned as she paused beside one of the shelves. 

Was she seriously pissed off about this? 

Blinking herself from her shock, Sakura shifted on her feet. “First of all, they’re not  _ his _ dinner parties and second of all, I highly doubt he wants to hang out with a bunch of drunk college kids. Why do you keep bringing him up?”

“Because you’re keeping very quiet about him. Any other hot guy we would be joking around about him, wondering what he looks like naked and doing our usual thing. But ever since you first mentioned him, you’ve just been... _ quiet _ .”

Heat spread up Sakura’s throat to her face and she shook her head. She scoffed but couldn’t think of anything else to really say, mostly because Ino was right. Even when Sakura had started crushing on Sasuke, she’d talk about him way too much and the two of them would giggle about it all. They’d camp out in the commons when they knew he and Naruto would walk through and they’d come up with scenarios about him.

But that felt too immature to do with Kakashi. 

Which, of course, Ino picked up on. Sakura hadn’t even realized she’d been acting out of the ordinary about him, aside from her usual blushing and trying to change the subject whenever he was mentioned. “I just...he’s...He’s not like Sasuke or the other guys we’ve had crushes on.”

“So you do have a crush on him.” It wasn’t a question but Sakura felt the need to answer her right away and deny it. She didn’t. She stared at the peeling sticker on the spine of a book and reached up to pick at the corner where the reference number was printed. 

Her heartbeat was racing with panic and still, she couldn’t bring herself to deny it. What was the point? She was definitely crushing on him. Biting her lip, she turned away from the shelf and took a deep breath. It was now or never. 

“I wouldn’t call it a  _ crush _ , exactly.”

“Then what would you call it?” Judging by the quickness of Ino’s response, Sakura could tell she was on the edge of her seat, waiting for the answer to her question as if she’s been dying to know for weeks. Knowing Ino, she probably had. 

“It’s...a weird fascination.” That made it sound worse somehow and Sakura winced. “Look, can we just get past this. He’s hot, he’s older, he’s out of my league so there’s really nothing to talk about. Are you really throwing a party or was this just a way for you to annoy me about him?”

“Can’t it be both? Yes, I am having a party this weekend and you’re coming.” 

“Fine but things are still weird between me and Sasuke.”

“Noted,” Ino said cheerily. “Consider him off the guest list.” 

“Well, that’s a little harsh, don’t you think? I’m just saying...I might need your help if I get a bit uncomfortable with the energy between us.” Sakura dropped her hand away from the spine of the book she couldn’t stop picking at, knowing that it would more than likely be her who had to fix it when it peeled off. Her work-study was already a boring affair, no need to add more mundane tasks to it when she came back on Thursday.

With a sigh, she spun away from the books and shook the hair from her face. “I gotta go. I’m supposed to be studying and I’ve done a rather shitty job concentrating all night.”

“Oh?” Ino asked with a hint of mischief in her voice. “Is that because of me or because you keep thinking about your little  _ fascination _ ?”

“If you keep this up, you can take me off your guest list as well.”

“Fine. Call me later.”

As soon as the call ended, Sakura let her head fall back and she let out a breath. Admitting that Kakashi was a fascination of hers wasn’t at all what she had wanted to tell her nosy best friend. Especially when she knew that it was only a matter of hours before both Tenten and Hinata knew as well. In a weird way, she didn’t want them to know anything about her feelings toward Kakashi.

She wanted to keep it a secret--wanted to keep  _ him _ a secret--for as long as she could. Especially with this arrangement between them. It was intense and something her friends would never understand. 

Hell, she was still having trouble understanding it. 

All she knew for sure was that 8 o’clock was taking far too long to roll around and she was more than ready to get her reward. 

Turning away from the shelves of books, Sakura reached up and put a hand to her forehead. As much as she’s enjoyed herself the past week, mostly because of what Kakashi does to her, she still couldn’t get over how much this affected her. She thought she had been at peak arousal back when she was struggling to get Sasuke to give in to her.

What she was going through now was on a different level. She’d never craved something like this, had never wanted or needed someone as badly as she wanted Kakashi. What on earth did he have that called so loudly to her most basic, primal desires? It was something she couldn’t even begin to explain or try to understand and all she could do was just accept that he was a magnet and she was powerless to stop her attraction to him.

Coming around the last few stacks of shelves, Sakura sniffed and lifted her head to look at the table she had left her textbook, notes, and backpack sitting on. Everything was exactly as she had left it but there was something else there now...something she didn’t expect to see and it stopped her in her tracks, her breath hitching in her chest.

Dressed in a pair of perfectly fitting, dark slacks, button-up shirt with a thin grey sweater over it was the one person she wanted to see most. Kakashi stood beside the study table she’d claimed for herself earlier that night in a relaxed stance as he stared at her. His dark eyes were half-lidded as he took in the sight of her, his gaze sweeping up the length of her legs and over the outfit she’d picked. 

Judging by the look on his face, she was pleased that he seemed to appreciate her efforts. He quickly traced his bottom lip with his tongue--making her knees weak in the process--before he lifted a hand and casually dropped a small, black gift bag beside her textbook. 

“Hey,” Sakura breathed, hoping she wasn’t seeing a mirage and he was actually there. Just the sight of him had her hormones in a frenzy and she was having trouble thinking straight. “What are you...I mean, I thought we were meeting at eight?”

“We were,” he said quietly. “But I thought you might need help studying.”

“I don’t want to study anymore.”

Kakashi lifted an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, drawing her attention to the sleeves of his button-up poking out from beneath the fabric of the sweater. Damn, he looked good. He glanced at the phone clutched in her hands and the corner of his lips lifted in a smile that didn’t quite seem humorous. “It doesn’t look like you were doing much studying, to begin with.”

Sakura shrugged. “I’m not worried about it. What’s that?”

She pointed to the bag and took a few steps forward, hoping to steer the question away from her studies and onto something more enjoyable. Before she could reach for the bag, Kakashi hooked a finger around the edge and pulled it away from her. With just a tiny pout of her lips, she looked up and found him scowling at her. 

“Sakura,” he said, his tone low and scolding. “It’s very important for you to do well in your classes.  _ Good girls _ make good grades.”

“I will. It’s not until Thursday so I have plenty of time to study and besides, I’ve been a bit  _ distracted _ .” She hoped her emphasis on the word would be enough of a hint for him. Surely he knew how badly she was wanting him. Was this just another game of his to prolong her suffering? Wasn’t he supposed to reward her when she was being good?

“Then maybe I should help you  _ focus _ .” His eyes never left hers, staring with an intensity that made her both nervous and excited, as he pushed the bag toward her. “I want you to go to the bathroom, take your panties off, and put them in this bag.”

The tops of her cheeks turned pink at his words and Sakura hesitantly reached out to take the bag from him. She was expecting it to be empty and when she pulled it and felt a bit of weight in it, she stood on her tiptoes and peered down into it. 

Laying inside was a familiar, pink device that she had hoped to get to know more intimately in the privacy of her own room. Seeing the vibrator here now made her eyes go wide and she looked up at him. “What do I do with that?”

“Oh, that?” Kakashi took a step closer to her until she could feel his body heat and smell the scent of his aftershave. It was absolutely intoxicating and she closed her eyes to take in a deep breath of it. “You’re going to take that and put one side all the way inside of yourself until the other side is right against your clit. And once you do that, you’re going to come back out here and I’m going to help you  _ focus _ .” 

She had been expecting as much and she was still floored by hearing him say it. All of the air left her lungs in a single breath and she could do nothing but stare up at him, searching his dark gaze for any sign that this was a joke. He couldn't seriously expect her to do something like that in public! 

Once she was able to look away from him, she glanced around the third-floor library space. The stacks of reference books on Psychology and Sociology were behind her and at the opposite side of the floor were the Geography sections. Among the hundreds of books and shelves, there was no one else around but the both of them.

And really, this late on a Tuesday night, the library would stay dead for hours but that didn’t mean they were guaranteed to be alone. Surely he wasn’t expecting her to participate in something this kinky in the middle of the university library. This was just him being intimidating before he whisked her away somewhere more accomodating. 

Letting out a breathy, albeit nervous laugh, Sakura looked up at him with a smirk curling one side of her lips. “And how do you expect that to help me focus, Kakash--”

Before his name could even fully leave her mouth, he brought his hand to her face and pressed his finger against her lips. He shook his head and the light shifted in his gaze. The playfulness she’d grown used to the past few weeks was gone and now, there was a kind of intensity she hadn’t been expecting. It was the same way he had looked at her the night she’d stayed over after the dinner party.

In the privacy of that upstairs bedroom, while she was naked on the bed, touching herself for him, he had watched her with the same look in his eyes that he had now. She felt it sink deep within her soul and it left her trembling. “You will address me as Mr. Hatake. Do I make myself clear?”

She was nodding before she had even formed an answer and when his eyebrows lifted expectedly, she quickly added, “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” he let his hand fall away from her face and reached down to pluck the bag up from the table. “Now, do as you’ve been told. I’ll be waiting here.”

Slowly--not because she was second-guessing all of this but because she could barely move--Sakura took the bag from his hand and ducked her head, hiding the blush of her face from him. She could feel his gaze even as she turned away and carried the bag across space to the restroom nestled in the corner of the third floor.

Her hand was shaking as she pushed the door open and slipped inside. There were a few stalls, but thankfully, they were all empty and she had the room to herself. The sigh she let out was small yet sounded as if it were echoing around her. Her knees were weak with every step she took and she quietly hurried into the first stall, setting the gift back on the toilet paper dispenser.

With her pulse pounding thunderously against her chest, Sakura put her hands on the back of the door and let her head fall between her arms. She took several deep breaths with her eyes closed, just to get a grip. This wasn’t that big of a deal and yet...she felt as if he were expecting her to strip naked in the middle of a crowd. 

If spending the night with him had been crossing a line for her, this was like taking a running leap over it. What would her friends think of her doing this? What if somehow, someone found out about this? Squeezing her eyes shut, Sakura clenched her jaw and counted the seconds of her breathing until the trembling in her arms and legs started to settle.

This was ridiculous, and completely unlike her, and not to mention dangerous to do something like this in public. They could both get caught and punished--and not in the fun way. But even as those thoughts swirled around and around in her head, giving her all sorts of reasons not to do this, Sakura found herself smiling. 

There were a dozen reasons not to follow his order, a dozen reasons for her to opt out of this contract and not ever talk to him ever again. She could walk out, hand him the bag, and never look back but she knew that wasn’t what she wanted to do. It may have been what she expected herself to do, what she would have done months ago, but she was tired of being the kind of person who ran from anything different. 

Standing up straight, Sakura lifted the hem of her skirt until it was gathered around her hips before she hooked her thumbs around the waistband of her panties. They fell around her ankles in a quick swish of the fabric and she bent down to retrieve them. The pink fabric with a band of lace around the waist had been something she picked out especially for tonight.

She had hoped he would be the one to take them off of her, of course. 

A shy smile tugged at the corner of her lips and she folded the panties in half before dropping them down into the bag. As they settled toward the bottom, she reached in and pulled out the pink vibrator he had bought the day before. It wasn’t as intimidating as it had been in the package yesterday. Whatever it was made with was soft, but firm and the side that was meant to go inside her was just a bit wider than the other.

Clamping her teeth around her bottom lip, she stepped her feet apart and put her free hand between her legs just to check and see if she was wet enough. She wasn’t a virgin, but it had been a while since she had something like this inside her--unless she counted Kakashi’s fingers last week. 

If she hadn’t been wet before, thinking back to that night definitely did the trick. Her fingers came away slick and she took a deep breath before positioning the vibrator against herself. The wider side seemed bigger now that it was nearly inside her and she frowned in concentration. 

With a firm push, Sakura managed to ease it inside herself and her breath left her in a single, warm puff that blew the hair away from her face. She lifted her free hand and put it against the door to brace herself as she continued pushing the vibrator inside her. It wasn’t until it was all the way inside did she fully understand how it was supposed to fit.

The other side was nestled between her folds, the end pressing right against her clit just like Kakashi-- _ Mr. Hatake _ had told her it would. Being filled, even with something like the vibrator, was leaving her breathless and she slowly stood up to her full height and let her skirt fall back down around her knees. 

It wasn’t even on yet and she was soaking wet. 

With a deep breath and a quick moment to gather herself, Sakura grabbed the bag and slipped out of the bathroom stall. Every step shifted the vibrator inside her and she whimpered as she made her way to the door. 

This was already torturous. How did he expect her to walk out of the library and across campus to his car like this? 

Toes curling with every step, Sakura managed to slip out of the restroom without letting the vibrator slip out and made her way back across the third floor, slower and more carefully than before. She blinked at the sight of Kakashi sitting at the table across from where she had been sitting earlier. He had her textbook and notes laid out in front of him, but his attention was on her. 

He was a very intimidating force to be faced with as he sat there, arms crossed over his chest, his sweater stretched over his upper body so she could see the muscles of his shoulders and arms. It was the look in his eyes that nearly made her knees turn to jello as she closed the distance between them. 

She hesitated at her chair, putting a hand to the back of it as she swept her gaze down to her books and notes. Lifting one hand away from his arm, Mr. Hatake gestured to the chair and said one word to her. “Sit.”

Sakura did as she was told but slowly. Her muscles clenched tightly around the vibrator as she smoothed her skirt beneath her and sat in the chair. She set the small, black gift bag on the table between them but he ignored it for the moment. She watched him lean to the side and pull his cell phone out of his pocket before he set it down on the table beside her textbook. Without taking his eyes off of her, he took hold of the cuff around his wrist.

Slowly, teasingly, he freed the button on the cuff and rolled his sleeve up the length of his forearm. The black ink of his tattoo curled over his taut skin, accentuating the shape of his muscles and the single vein that ran right beneath his flesh. Sakura followed it down the length of his arm to where it disappeared in the bones of his hands. Seeing his fingers nimbly roll his sleeves only reminded her of the other things he could do with them and her thighs pressed together, shifting the vibrator just a bit deeper.

It made her clamp her teeth around her bottom lip and her eyes lifted back up to meet his.

Mr. Hatake looked away from her long enough to tap the screen of his phone a few times and as he pressed his middle finger to the middle of it, a small tremor vibrated inside her. Her entire body tensed and her eyes went as wide as saucers. He had turned the vibrator on.

Sakura’s jaw fell open and she looked from his phone to his face and found a small, wicked smile on his lips. It was quite clear to her that they weren’t going to leave the library. And he more than likely never intended for them to.

Again, all of those thoughts that she should flee, that this was too out of her comfort zone, flared back to life and she could do nothing but swallow them down. She blinked through her sudden moment of panic and watched as he took her notes and slid them closer until they were right in front of him. “Are you ready, Sakura?”

In an instant, her eyes met his and her voice was nothing but a whisper. “To do what?”

“To study.” He said it so simply as if this was nothing more than two classmates studying for an upcoming exam. “Define matrilocality.”

Sakura blinked. What? Did he actually expect her to be able to think about  _ anything _ aside from how turned on she was at the moment? Breathless, she let out a scoff and shook her head. “I don’t--”

He dropped his finger to the phone and in an instant, the device inside her came alive. The setting was low, she could tell, but it was still a surprise and the feel of it right against her clit made her lurch forward. Both hands met the table with a sharp smack and she sucked in a breath as she looked up at him. His eyebrows were lifted in expectation and she stammered.

“I-It’s a social custom where a m-married couple lives with the wife’s family.”

“Very good.” Mr. Hatake swiped his thumb over his phone and the vibrations inside her came to a sudden stop, making her shudder. She pressed her knees together and let out a shaking breath. He wasted no time before he continued on with his questioning. “What is a pluralistic society?”

Fuck, he was giving her no time to catch her breath. Brows pinched in concentration, Sakura cleared her throat. She knew this one though and was ready for the question--or about as ready as she could be. “A society made up of many different people.”

“Good.” Her lips stretched into a smile at his praise. “Formal organization.”

And with two words, the smile vanished from her face. Shit. She remembered reading this earlier, right before Ino called when she was completely distracted with her imagination running away from her. What the hell was it? 

Fuck!

Her eyes darted to his phone and Mr. Hatake carefully swiped his finger across the screen. In an instant, the vibrator came back to life within her and she leaned forward, lips parting. Her position only made it press harder against her and she whimpered, trying to find the best way to sit for a bit of relief. “Ah, I can’t--”

“What was that, Sakura?”

“I can’t remember,” she managed to murmur, her fingers curling into fists. “C-can we skip it?”

“Of course,” Mr. Hatake said, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. “But the more you skip, the longer you’ll have to endure because I’m not giving you permission to cum yet. Global stratification.”

He was cruel--far more cruel than she could have ever imagined. Her lips parted but no sound came out. All that could be heard was the quiet, almost undetectable buzz of the vibrator inside her. Sakura gripped the edge of the table and shook her head. The seconds passed and she tried to remember the definition from her notes but it was hard to think beyond the sensation between her thighs.

Tension was thick and hot and if she kept still, she could maybe hold off on letting it build more because she wasn’t exactly sure she wanted to know the punishment that she would get if she were to come. But if he kept this up, surely he knew she wouldn’t be able to stop--

Her eyes widened as Mr. Hatake moved his finger over the phone screen and like a bolt of lightning, the intensity of the vibration increased. Sakura cried out but managed to clamp her mouth around the sound before it could get too loud. Her toes were curling in her boots and she tried to keep her body still, but it was no use now.

“ _ Focus _ , Sakura.”

“How am I supposed to focus on sociology when you’re--ahh!” Her voice was silenced around a quick gasp for breath as he increased the intensity once more. “Kakashi,  _ please _ .”

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

“M-Mr. Hatake, please. I’m begging you.” Sakura opened her eyes just a bit and looked at him, hoping he could see the desperation in her face. There was a hint of pity in his eyes but it was well hidden behind his delight. 

“Oh, I know you can beg better than that. If you want some relief, Sakura, then all you need to do is tell me what global stratification is.”

Sakura’s breath was fast and she pinched her eyes shut, trying to concentrate. When she was finally able to speak, her voice was quiet and strained. “It’s the stratification of nations.”

“Good girl,” Mr. Hatake praised, dropping the intensity of the vibrations back to the previous low setting. She was able to relax a bit and her shoulders slumped as she opened her eyes to glare at him. “Tell me, how does your new toy feel?”

“Intense,” she breathed. Her answer pulled a quick, deep rumble of a laugh from him and he nodded approvingly. 

“And how close are you to coming?”

“Well,” she started, managing to sit back up in the chair. With her thighs parted and if she leaned back, the vibrator didn’t press too close to her clit and she was able to stand it. But it was starting to get difficult. “If you keep this up, I’m not going to last.”

“If  _ I  _ keep this up? You’re the one answering the questions, Sakura. All you have to do is focus.”

“That’s easier said than done.” 

The grin that stretched his lips was both insufferable and irresistible. He lifted his eyebrows and gestured back to the handwritten notes he was reading from. “Shall we continue?”

“If we have to.”

“Oh, I think we do. Define differential association.”

She was able to answer him correctly, as well as the next few questions and she was feeling rather proud of herself for keeping her focus despite the constant sensations trembling through her. A few times, her eyes rolled back and she had to grip the table but after a quick shift on the chair, she was able to find a different position that she could stand. 

Mr. Hatake flipped a page of her notes over and read through a few lines. “You know, I think you need a bit of a challenge.”

What?

Surely she was hearing things.

Was this not the challenge? She was practically soaking through her skirt and would definitely need to wipe the chair when she was finished. Staring at him, Sakura swallowed tightly and shook her head. “I don’t think I do.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not in charge. Stand up.”

Slowly, on legs trembling just as much as the vibrator inside her, Sakura stood to her feet and took her bottom lip between her teeth. She stared at him across the table and watched as he lifted a hand and curled his two fingers, beckoning her closer. 

Every step was torture. The press of her thighs shifted the vibrator back and forth over her clit and she had to put a hand to the table as she moved to keep herself steady. What would have normally taken half a second, was taking her much longer and she knew the longer it took, the more drawn out her torment was. 

But he hadn’t given her permission to come yet and she’d be damned if she gave him the satisfaction of winning this little game he was playing. 

Finally, she was at his side of the table and Mr. Hatake stared up at her. He watched her for a moment, hand hovering over the cellphone sitting on the table. With just a single flick of his finger, he could bring her to her knees but thankfully, he kept the vibrations where they were for the time being. 

Sakura waited for him to speak, wondering if he was going to make her answer questions while standing. She held her breath and clenched tightly around the vibrator. 

“Sit,” he commanded and she reached for the chair beside his. Mr. Hatake put his foot behind the back leg of it to keep her from pulling it out and shook his head. “My apologies. I should have made myself more clear. On your knees.”

She wasn’t sure if the ringing in her ears was because of the never-ending tremors tormenting her or if it was because of what he said. She blinked and stared down at the floor right between his shoes. The carpet was that generic kind that wasn’t meant to sit on for very long and Sakura whimpered. Maybe she could talk her way out of this. Maybe he could be bargained with.

“Could I just stand, instead? I’ll answer questions. I promise.”

For several seconds, he stayed quiet, just staring up at her. He tilted his head to the side and blinked, all traces of a smile slipping away from his face. There was no adorable crease at the corners of his eyelids or curl of his lips when he was amused with her. There was nothing but his desire to control her and it filled her with so many emotions all at once. She immediately regretted ever opening her mouth and without a word, Mr. Hatake swiped his finger up the screen of his phone. In one simple motion, the vibrator kicked up a notch.

Sakura clamped her thighs together and reached out for the back of the chair beside her to brace herself. Standing was a bad idea. It only made the vibrations feel that much more powerful. She sucked in a breath and slowly lowered herself onto the floor.

Just like she expected, the carpet was scratchy to her shins and knees but she sat as he had ordered her to. With her naked ass perched on the heels of her boots, legs pressed together, she knew she’d never last.

It was too much. 

Mr. Hatake sat forward until his elbow was draped over his knee and he reached out to take her face in his palm. He tilted her head back until she stared up at him and Sakura knew her face was twisted from his torture methods. For just a few beats of her heart, he searched her eyes. 

“Are you going to come, Sakura?”

She could only nod.

“I haven’t given you permission to.”

The sound of his voice, so quiet yet so velvet and sinful in her ears, made her whimper. She shifted her hips forward and sucked in a breath at the rush of heat that spread through her center. She quickly licked her lips and managed to open her eyes. “ _ Please _ .”

“Please  _ what _ ?”

Fuck, she couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. All she could do was rock back and forth, trying not to move at all while at the same time, unable to stop herself from it. It felt too good to stop and god, she wanted to come. Even without his permission.

How easily her little plan to show him up came unraveled. But was that so hard to believe? She was a rookie, playing in a professional’s game. 

Mr. Hatake’s fingers tightened around her chin and her eyes snapped open to find him studying her. “Sakura,  _ focus _ .”

“I--” Her breath hitched, cutting through her words and she reached out to grip his forearm. “Please, I can’t take it.”

“Of course you can. Because I said so.” Mr. Hatake sat up, pulling his hand from her grasp and she fell forward to his knee. Her fingers found a new place around the fabric of his pants and he let her cling to him. She panted, her thighs trembled, and she was sure she was practically dripping wet by now. The vibrator never relented. 

It hit in places she never imagined could be stimulated and in her new position on her knees, she was utterly helpless. 

“Sakura,” he purred, making her fingers clench tighter around their hold on his pants. “Focus.”

She couldn’t. There was too much. And with another flick of his finger, the intensity exploded and she didn’t even try to stop herself this time. She cried out and leaned forward, eyes squeezed tight. There was no stopping it now. Her hips rocked, thighs clenched and the muscles tight around the vibrator could hold on no longer.

Her orgasm pulled a strangled cry from her throat that lodged in her chest, turning into short, quick gasps for breath. Pleasure rippled through her, starting at her center and unfurling like waves of white-hot heat. She held onto him for dear life and leaned forward, dropping her head onto his knee as the vibrations never let up.

Though the rush of her heartbeat filled her ears, she could hear his sigh of disappointment above her and she sobbed. He never turned the vibrations down and she was trembling by the time her orgasm was starting to fade. 

She felt the touch of his fingers beneath her chin, gently yet firmly guiding her back so she could look up at him. It was strange how utterly spent she felt, yet still wound up at the same time. And seeing the disappointment on his face nearly made her sob again. The amount of shame inside her was surprising--not from what she had done or from practically writhing on the library floor, but because she had come without his permission.

The need to please him was sudden and knowing she had disappointed him was brutal.

“I-I’m sorry,” she whispered. It was hard to even think at that point, with the vibrator still going inside her and she shut her eyes tightly. 

Mr. Hatake took a deep breath and sighed once more, his hand brushing the hair out of her eyes. “What do I do with you now?”

Sakura whimpered and reached between her legs, wishing for just a second of relief from the nonstop sensations inside her. Her hand was caught before she could give herself some of that relief and Mr. Hatake shook his head. 

“I didn’t give you permission to touch yourself, Sakura.”

“Please. It’s too much.” 

With his hand still clutching her wrist, Mr. Hatake stood to his feet and pulled her up as well. It was hard to stand on her quivering legs and she let him put an arm around her waist to hold her up. If she thought he was going to turn the vibrator down, she was mistaken. He brushed the hair away from her face and leaned down to meet her gaze. “Do you remember your safeword?”

She wracked her brain, trying to think back to the day they had drawn up their contract. That day had been such a whirlwind, but she could still recall the word they had picked.  _ Yellow _ . Nodding, Sakura peered up at him, clamping her teeth around her bottom lip. 

“Do you need to use it?” 

Her head was shaking before the question had even left his lips and she watched the smile curl the corners of his mouth. It filled her with another wave of warmth that gathered at her center and settled over the over-stimulated parts of her sex. To her surprise, Mr. Hatake reached for his phone and pulled his thumb down the screen. 

The intensity of the vibrations settled but didn’t disappear and she let out a breath as he pulled his arm away from her waist. He made a soft sound--somewhere between a sigh and a moan--and put a hand to her shoulder, guiding her toward the table. Slowly, she leaned over it until her palms were face down on top. 

“You know if you come without my permission, you get punished.”

Sakura nodded and to her surprise, Mr. Hatake brought his hand down hard on her ass. The sharp sound echoed around the empty third floor and her lips parted in surprise as her eyes went wide. It stung, but the fabric of her skirt had absorbed most of it and all Sakura could do was turn to peer over her shoulder at him. 

“Lift your skirt up,” he ordered, his voice barely a whisper. Holding her breath, she reached back and slowly pulled the material of the skirt up her bare ass until she could feel the cool AC on the warm print of his hand he had left behind. “How many do you think you deserve for disobeying me?”

“Um...One?”

“Three it is.” His hand came down against her backside and this time, without the skirt there to soften the blow, it stung much worse. She clenched her teeth and sucked in a breath through them. She braced herself for the next and it was just as loud and just as sharp. It echoed around them and she squeezed her eyes shut. 

Pain radiated out from the marks on her ass and she whimpered, the vibrator still trembling inside her. It pressed into her and each time Mr. Hatake’s hand came down on her ass, it shifted over her clit, drawing out a moan. It didn’t take him long to realize that she was enjoying this a bit too much for punishment and he stood up with a sigh. 

“Are you trying to sneak another orgasm, Sakura?”

“N-no.”

“Why do I not believe you?” Another slap of his hand on her ass sent her thighs pushing into the table and she sucked in another breath. “If you tell me the truth, I  _ just might _ let you have one.”

“Yes. I want another one, sir. Please.”

“Now, that’s a good girl.” 

Expecting another slap across her ass, Sakura was caught off guard as he slid his hand between her legs. She gasped and shut her eyes as he found the vibrator wedged within her. With a hook of his finger around it, Mr. Hatake pulled it out of her with a slick sound that made her shudder in delight and relief. He hummed a soft sound of approval at the sight of it dripping wet. 

With his other hand, he placed his fingers back between her legs and traced the length of her slit, easily pushing between her slick folds. The soft hum of approval turned into a groan that Sakura could feel through her and she let out a sigh. It felt so good to feel his touch on her and she pushed back against him. 

“Don’t be greedy, Sakura,” he whispered close to her ear. “I’m going to give you what you need.”

Mr. Hatake found her opening and pushed his middle finger deep inside. After two slow pumps, he pushed another one in as well and Sakura couldn’t stop the moan that he drew from her throat. She clenched around him and while the vibrator had been powerful, she much preferred the feel of him deep inside her. 

“Is this what you wanted?” His question nearly startled her. She’d been so focused on the feel of his fingers, that she wasn’t expecting his voice. “Is this what you’ve been begging for?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re so wet, Sakura. You’ve been wanting this for days, haven’t you?” He pulled his fingers back but before she could protest, he slid them up her folds to her clit. He circled it with his two fingers and spread them over her, teasing her in the most exquisite way.

“Yes, sir.” She was practically panting by now. 

“Tell me what you want.” His breath was hot against her ear and she shut her eyes tight. “I want to hear you beg for it.”

“I want to come. Please, Mr. Hatake, don’t stop.” She wanted to turn in his arms, to kiss him and for him to hold her, but she was too weak to move. He kept her pinned against the table, her skirt pulled up around her waist where the air could cool the heated marks he had left behind. She rocked her hips in time with the movement of his fingers and he didn’t stop her. He let her do what she needed to get the orgasm he was allowing her to have.

Tension coiled deep inside her, pinching her eyebrows and parting her lips as she concentrated. Together, with his fingers circling and stroking her while she ground her hips into his touch, her orgasm wasn’t hard to find. It broiled just beneath the surface, hot and electric and Sakura let her head fall forward. 

Her breath was ragged, pulse in a frenzy, and she curled her fingers until she was scratching at the surface of the table with her fingernails. At her neck, she felt him brush her hair away from her shoulder and he leaned forward to press a soft kiss across her heated skin. When he lifted his head, Sakura could feel the warmth of his breath at her ear.

“I want you to come for me, Sakura.”

She nodded. There was no way she could find her voice. 

He circled her clit over and over and with the way her hips rocked back and forth into his hand, Sakura came. It shuddered through her body, making her toes curl and her legs shake. She cried out as the pleasure rippled inside her. It wasn’t as quick as the last orgasm.

It took its time, rolling over her like waves, pulsing in time with the motions of Kakashi’s fingers, and each time he swirled them around her clit, it only drew out the pleasure. 

Sakura’s arms were shaking and she lowered herself down to the table, pressing her heated cheek against the cool surface. But she didn’t stay there long. Kakashi looped an arm around her ribs and lifted her back up, pressing her back to his chest. He chuckled at her ear and pulled his hand out from between her legs. 

“That’s much too tempting of a position for you to be in, Sakura. You’re going to make me want to fuck you right here.”

She blinked her eyes open to the fluorescent lights above her and frowned. “Don’t you want to already?”

“Oh, you have no idea how badly I want to fuck you.” The fabric of her skirt was smoothed back down around her thighs and Kakashi slowly turned her around so she could face him.  _ Finally _ , she thought to herself. All she had been wanting was to be close to him. “And I will. But what fun would it be if I didn’t tease you for as long as I could stand it?”

“Your idea of fun is different than mine.” 

The corner of his lips curled up into a smirk that drove the butterflies in her stomach absolutely crazy. She almost couldn’t believe this was the same person who had been making her kneel before him and denying her orgasms just moments ago. It drew a quiet laugh from her throat and she shook her head, staring up at him with fascination. 

“What’s that look for?” He asked, ducking his head to press a kiss to her jaw and down the length of her throat. 

“You’re very hard to figure out, Mr. Hatake.”

His laugh was warm against her neck and he pulled away, slipping his arm from around her waist so she was propped against the edge of the table. She was thankful for it, otherwise, her weak and trembling legs would have given out on her. The tender prints on her backside stung just a bit as she leaned against them and she winced. She put her hands down on either side of her hips and watched as he dropped the vibrator back into the gift bag. 

He glanced at her quickly and shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve stopped trying to figure myself out a long time ago. Now, I just do what I want.”

“And how’s that working out for you?” A part of her--the part that wasn’t completely ruined and exhausted enough to form coherent thoughts--was thrilled that he was actually telling her something about himself. No matter how vague his answers were, they were still better than nothing and she watched him lower himself back into the chair to peer up at her. 

There was a strange smile on his face as he narrowed his eyes on her, his gaze sweeping down the length of her body. “Well, it’s led me right here and I’m certainly not complaining. Now, gather up your things.”

Sakura’s eyebrows lifted. “Are we going somewhere?”

“Yes. You need something to eat and I want to make sure you’re alright before I take you back to your dorm.”

She frowned. “What do you mean? I’m fine.”

“Sakura, I’ve been doing this long enough to know that after something intense, you might feel a bit strange. A part of being your dom is taking care of you before, during, and after.” Kakashi scooped up her notes and handed them to her. 

“Oh.” Hesitantly, she took the notebook pages and blinked down at the words she would never be able to read without thinking about tonight. Which will make for a very interesting test come Thursday. In her silence, he continued packing away her things for her and when her book bag was full once again, Kakashi stood up and smiled down at her. “I could eat.”

“Good. Can you walk?” The question was half-serious, despite the smile of pride on his face and Sakura scowled playfully. 

“I’m sure I’m capable of walking to your car.”

“Hey.” Before she could take a step toward the elevators, Kakashi reached out to take her face once more. His thumb brushed over her cheek and he searched her face before meeting her eyes. “You did well. Better than I expected for someone so new to all of this.”

Heat crept up Sakura’s face and she blinked up at him, the blush darkening her cheeks. His words of praise made her entire body feel as if it were lit up and the butterflies that had been going crazy in her stomach flared up to her chest. She took her bottom lip between her teeth and smiled. Kakashi ducked his head to catch her gaze and when he stood up to his full height, pulling her attention up with him, his eyes narrowed deviously.

“But you do know this was just a taste right? Consider it lesson one.” He winked at her, taking a step away. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him and her stomach tightened around the flutter inside it, nearly squashing the butterflies all together. This had been intense, but she was ready for more. 

The corners of her lips lifted in a smile and she nodded. Kakashi held out his hand for her to take and she did while snatching her book bag off the table. She shouldered it and gave a final glance around the third floor. It was still empty, still quiet as it had been half an hour ago, and she knew that she’d never be able to forget tonight.

But she was definitely going to have to study on a different floor from now on. Something told her she’d get too turned on coming back here, knowing what she had done, what she had let Kakashi do. And as spent and exhausted and drained she felt, Sakura was sure that whatever else he was planning, whatever else he was going to give her, she was more than ready for it.

* * *


End file.
